New secure units for girls to be built.

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YOUTH JUSTICE

The Home Office is to build new prison units for girls to try to end the practice of holding children in women's prisons, David Blunkett announced this week.

The home secretary revealed that £16m of new money has been allocated to the Youth Justice Board to set up five new specialist units for the 86 16- and 17-year-old girls in prison service accommodation. Work has already started at Downview Prison in Surrey.

The move coincides with two reports by the prisons inspectorate and schools watchdog Ofsted that raise concerns about the small number of girls in adult prisons.

Roy Walker, chair of the Secure Accommodation Network, said he thought the Home Office's announcement was part of a longer-term strategy for the Youth Justice Board to rely less on secure beds in local authority secure children's homes.

The board is about to announce the results of a retendering exercise with secure children's homes.

It is understood that four of the 28 have not been offered new contracts (news, page 9, 15 April).

• Reports from www.homeoffice.gov.uk/justice/prisons/inspprisons

PHOTO (COLOR): Children display posters at the launch of a campaign to tackle bullying among young people outside schools in Camden, north London. The posters, designed by the children, are being displayed in 126 bus shelters throughout the borough. Research found that bullying is a major concern for Camden children aged between five and 13.