UCU calls for rethink on offender learning

The union says that unless reform addresses the problems facing staff in delivering the service, OLASS will continue to fall foul of public scrutineers.
 
The union was commenting on the findings of a report from the powerful Public Accounts Committee which has criticized failings in schemes to improve prisoners' basic skills.
 
The Committee's report followed an investigation by the National Audit Office in March and both reports found that offender learning was impeded by a fragmented service, confusion over funding priorities and tensions over objectives.
 
UCU welcomed the close scrutiny of the Offenders' Learning and Skills Service, but warned that improvements would depend on addressing deeper problems.

UCU general secretary Sally Hunt said: 'UCU is proud of our hard-working staff in prison education. We believe they do a remarkable job in reducing the risk of reoffending and equipping offenders with the skills and the education they need to lead purposeful lives. But the reality of their working lives means that our members face tremendous obstacles. Constant changes of policy, overcrowding and the frequent transfers of staff and offenders lead to a fragmented and disrupted service. This is aggravated by the fact that most staff delivering offender learning are on casual contracts.

'It is also very unfortunate that neither report addresses the damage done by the constant retendering process in offender learning, which heightens staff insecurity and has also allowed in private companies with little or no experience of this work. It is more than time that the LSC addressed these systemic flaws and invested in a stable and longer term way in this vital workforce.'

• Public Accounts Committee report (.pdf)
• BBC news: Prison education scheme 'failed'
• National Audit Office report