Prison education and library services for adult prisons in England
This Policy Framework from the Ministry of Justice sets out the minimum mandatory requirements required to provide education and library services in adult prisons in England. It is primarily aimed at governors and their staff and describes the policy requirements and legal duties expected of them to be able to deliver education services in their prisons. There are separate policy frameworks for prisons in Wales, Immigration Removal Centres and youth custody estates.
Those expected to adhere to this framework includes governors, heads of groups, the women’s estate, public sector prisons and over 18s young offender institutions and contracted prisons in England. This framework replaces document ‘PSI 20/2000 Education Key Performance Indicator: Measuring basic skills attainment’.
The framework can help with the implementation of reforms that give governors more control over education delivered in their prisons. It also allows them to provide an effective strategy for their prison’s education programme. The outcomes of using this resource are as follows:
- Prisons will be able to offer education that is aligned with the needs and interests of its prisoners, and relative to the employment markets that prisoners enter upon their release.
- Prisoners will be engaged in the learning process and able to achieve personal, employment and learning goals and sustain employment following their release.
- Prisoners will feel encouraged to build life skills and develop their own sense of wellbeing, social capital and employability, as well as reduce the risk of reoffending.
- Prisoners will have access to well-stocked libraries and use the materials within them to support their learning journey.
- Prisoners will have the opportunity to read for pleasure and improve their literacy skills.
The Prison Education & Library Services for adult prisons in England Policy Framework also contains links to other useful supporting documents and provides details about materials supplied on the HMPPS intranet.