Section Three The second year – activities and key issues by type of detention Children were also encouraged to retain contact with their families; however, arrangements to enable telephone contact with families and others were not adequate in two centres. In 2010–11, Ofsted also inspected each secure children’s home twice. Because there are so few secure homes in England, it can be difficult to place young people near their homes and families. This makes it more difficult to maintain family contact and presents challenges when supporting young people to make the transition from the home to the community. These issues were highlighted in a thematic review published by Ofsted in 2010.29 In the review, Ofsted evaluated the quality of admission and discharge processes for young people in secure accommodation and their resettlement into the community. It examined factors that helped or constrained effective practice and made recommendations for improvement. Ofsted found that many young people were placed a long distance from their home, with some parents making journeys of hundreds of miles to visit their children. These young people were unlikely to have the same level of support as those placed locally, either on admission or discharge. This adversely affected plans for successful reintegration into the community. Ofsted found that secure establishments used assessment, planning and review effectively, which included involving other organisations, as well as the young people and their families. While young people generally received good emotional support, it was common for discharge arrangements not to be agreed until the last few days of the placement. Ofsted also noted that staff from other agencies did not participate sufficiently in plans for young people to return to the community. The OCC has a statutory remit to promote children’s views and interests and to have regard to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. While it is not an inspectorate as such, the OCC visits places of detention. It has the power to enter any premises where children are cared for, other than a private home, to interview children with their consent, and reports on issues from a child’s perspective. A large part of the OCC’s work during 2010– 11 was linked to its study of the emotional wellbeing and mental health of children and young people in the youth justice system, particularly those in detention. Eleven institutions in the children’s secure estate were visited and the OCC examined the support provided to young people. It published a report in June 2011 which included recommendations directed to the Ministry of Justice, the Youth Justice Board, the Department of Health and local authorities. In 2011, the OCC also published research on young people’s views on restraint in the secure estate.30 The use of restraint generated a strong emotional response from most of the participants in the research, but the way that girls experienced restraint varied dramatically from that of the boys. Many of the girls felt that restraint had a negative impact on their mental health and wellbeing and they disliked it intensely. By contrast, boys reported feelings of anger, indifference or of acceptance that restraint was a necessary element of the custodial 29 Ofsted, Admission and discharge from secure accommodation (August 2010). 30 Office of the Children’s Commissioner, Young people’s views on restraint in the secure estate (March 2011). This research included the views of young people held in young offender institutions, as well as STCs and secure children’s homes. 33