Young offenders with special educational needs and disabilities

Every young person in custody in Leicestershire has a case manager from our Youth Offending Service (YOS). The case manager continues to work with them after they leave custody until the end of their licence period.

Young offender institutions, secure children's homes and secure training centres have special educational needs co-ordinators (SENCOs). The SENCO is responsible for identifying children with SEN and making sure they get all the help they need.

Offenders with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan

The case manager, young offender institution and the Special Educational Needs Assessment Service (SENA) will meet to look at how the young person’s EHC Plan can be fulfilled while they’re in custody. 

Preparing to leave custody

YOS and SENA will plan for the young person’s release. This includes: 

  • making sure the young person has education or training to go to when they leave custody
  • meeting the school or college if the young person is going back into education
  • updating the young person’s EHC Plan 

Offenders without an EHC Plan

All young people are assessed when they first go into a young offender institution to identify what they may need help with.  

If we think a young person might have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), the Special Educational Needs Assessment Service (SENA) will create an EHC Plan. (If we think the young person doesn’t need an EHC Plan, we will keep checking during their sentence to make sure they’re getting the education and help they need.)

We will send the EHC Plan to the young person and their parents. They have 3 weeks to reply and tell us whether they agree or disagree with the plan.

Disagree with an EHC Plan  

Preparing to leave custody

The EHC Plan will name the school or college the young person will go to when they’re released. YOS and SENA will meet the school or college to prepare for the young person’s release.

After release from custody

The young person will go into education or training. They’ll continue to work with their case manager until the end of their licence period, to stop them re-offending. If they’re over 16 years old, the YOS Prospects Advisor will help them plan their future. 

Living outside Leicestershire

If a young person is in custody in Leicestershire but lives outside the county, we will tell their local council when they go into custody and when they’re released.