Independent Monitoring Boards (Northern Ireland) IMBs in Northern Ireland are statutory bodies whose role is to monitor the treatment of prisoners and the conditions of their imprisonment. The boards are made up of unpaid members of the community and fulfil their duties by carrying out regular visits to establishments. There are three boards in Northern Ireland, one for each prison. Board members are appointed by the Northern Ireland Justice Minister. http://www.imb-ni.org.uk/ Northern Ireland Policing Board Independent Custody Visiting Scheme As in the rest of the UK, police custody suites in Northern Ireland receive regular, unannounced visits from custody visitors, who are volunteers from the local community. Custody visitors monitor the rights, health and well-being and conditions of detention of those detained in police custody, reporting their findings to the Northern Ireland Policing Board’s Performance Committee. www.nipolicingboard.org.uk/index/ publications/custody-visitors.htm Lay Observers Lay Observers are independent volunteers who check that prisoners escorted by private companies in England and Wales are treated decently. Lay Observers inspect court custody areas and the cellular vehicles used by contractors to transport detainees to and from court. They also visit police stations to observe the handover of prisoners from the police to the contractors and visit prisons to observe the handover of prisoners from the prison to the contractors and vice versa. Lay Observers play a vital role in ensuring that standards of decency are maintained. http://www.layobservers.org.uk/ Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills Ofsted is a regulatory and inspection body that seeks to promote excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. In the context of detention, Ofsted inspects the care and educational provision for children in secure accommodation, and assesses the provision of education and training in prisons, YOIs and IRCs as part of HMI Prisons-led inspections. http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/ Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland MWCS is an independent statutory organisation working to safeguard the rights and welfare of everyone with a mental illness, learning disability or related condition. The mandate of MWCS is broad and its activities include monitoring the care and treatment of people detained under mental health law, visiting them, and undertaking investigations into cases of improper detention or deficiency in care and treatment. http://www.mwcscot.org.uk/ 52 Office of the Children’s Commissioner The primary function of the Children’s Commissioner for England is to promote and protect the rights of children in England, including promoting awareness of their views and interests, with particular regard to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Commissioner may also provide advice, assistance and representation to children living away from home or receiving social care services. In addition, the Office of the Children’s Commissioner for England (OCC) has the power to enter any setting where a child (‘children’ includes certain young adults within OCC’s remit) is accommodated or cared for, other than a private dwelling,