REPORT OF JUVENILE EMPLOYMENT

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 45, 16 November 1929, Page 31

REPORT OF JUVENILE EMPLOYMENT

A PATTERN SCHEME OF CENTRES INTERESTING PROPOSALS The British Ministry of Labour has issued the first report of the National Advisory Council for Juvenile Employment (England and Wales), of which Lord Shaftesbury is chairman. The main recommendations of the council are embodied in the form of a memorandum containing regulations for a pattern scheme of centres which could be issued to all local education authorities and brought into effect as and when required. The pattern scheme, they say, must be considered to be, in a sense, experimental, and may have to be mod - tied in the light of experience or after consideration of the question of working certificates. . As to the methods of securing at tendance, the council do not recommend any extension of the system under which iu some districts children attend as a condition for the receipt Of outdoor relief by their parents. It is their hope that tlie unemployed bojs and girls, their parents, and employers will Increasingly come to realise the value of attendance at centres, me council have decided to postpone consideration of the Malcolm Committee s recommendations in regard compulsory attendance under statutory obligation, until coy sideration is given to the su S=« St, jd ■ r tem of working certificates, and they have not thought it necessary to lecom mend any statutory obligation on local education authorities to establish cen "ti-es in districts whSre they are ne *-®® sarv. They are confident that the pat tern scheme which they recommend Wi receive the consent and approval of all parties and that no education anti onty would hesitate to undertake the establish ment of a centre should the requisite conditions be satisfied. They recommend that in the special circumstances of distressed areas, so long as these continue,.the present practice of paying 100 per cent, ot .the cost of centres should be continued, the Minister- having power to attach such additional safeguards as he may deem necessary. Regulations for Centres. The general regulations,for the pattern scheme of centres, as embodied in the recommendations provide that a centre for one sex only may be established if there are within a-radius of five miles of the proposed centre at least 50 wholly unemployed" juveniles of that sex, each of whom has been out of work for a period of 12 consecutive working days. Of these 50 at least 35 must be-claimants to unemployed benefit. If the area of the authority extends for less than five miles from the proposed centre only those juveniles resident within the authorities area shall be taken into account unless arrangements have fieen made. for co-operation with, neighbouring authorities.' It is left to the discretion of the local education authorities whether they shall establish cen< tres for boys and girls under one roof or under one superintendent. A mixed centre may be established with grant if there are within a radius of five miles 50 wholly unemployed juveniles of whom at least 40 must be claimants to unemployment benefit. .

A centre shall cease to be recognised and approved for grant if the average attendance of juveniles for four consecutive weeks falls below 40. The total number of hours of instruction shall be not less than 15. and not more than 30 each week.

Tlie import contains a reservation by Mr. A. Conley. Mr. H. H. Elvin. Sir Percy Jackson, Mr. W. Keen, Alderman Ben Turner, and Miss J. Varley. They state that they are compelled to record their view that the criteria for establishing centres are much too stringent to encourage, indeed to enable, the establishment of centres in many areas in which they are necessary; Tn particular, they believe that the insistence that there there should be 35 juvenile claimants on the register before a centre can be established is likely to make it. impossible to establish centres, for it must be>borne in mind that a juvenile cannot becortie a claimant until he or she is at least 16 years and 30 weeks of age. The scheme, however, is intended to provide for juveniles of from 14 to 18 years of age. They attach special importance to the clause of the report noting that the scheme is regarded in many respects as experimental, and but for that clause they would not have felt able to accept the report. Proposals for Scotland. The Ministry of Labour further issues the first report, of the National Advisory

Council for Juvenile Employment (Scotland)* (H.M. Stationery Office (369999). price 3d. net). Lord Elgin, the chairman of the Council, in submitting their recommendations, states that it is the Council’s view that in the distressed mining areas where special conditions :in the matter of the Ministry of Labour’s grant to local education authorities, who conduct the centres, have been applied, these conditions should continue to apply so long as the special circumstances of these areas remain substantially unchanged. ' ' - ’ • The Council recommend that the. name of juvenile unemployment centres, should be changed to “Junior Training Centres;” The proposed conditions on which a ce'-_ tre may be established with grant provide that there should be at least 50 wholly unemployed juveniles within a radius of five miles, and that the centre' shall cease to be approved for grant if the average attendance for four consecutive week’s falls below 40, or if for .four consecutive weeks the average number in gttendaihee who have been out of work.for a continuous period of 12 working days falls below.2o. .

As to finance it.is provided by, the,regulations that education authorities who administer centres shall receive from the Ministry a grant equivalent to 75’ per cent, of approved expenditure (including aiiy- capital expenditure, which has been approved, and travelling expenses). Grant in respect of recurring expenditure shall be made either on a per capita basis, subject to maxima, rates, or in respect of actual expenditure which has received prior approval. If an education authority recommends, a 75 per cent, grant shall be payable by the Ministry in respect of travelling expenses on the following conditions:—(a)’ No allowance shall be paid to those juveniles who lire less than two miles by road from the centre; (b) the expenditure in respect of any one juvenile shall not exceed 2s. 6d. per week, or 6d. per day: (c) endeavour shall be made to obtain concessions from transportation companies, etc.