ABSTRACT
This chapter describes a doctoral research study completed in 2017 which focused on understanding the nature of disengagement in young offenders, offering a way to re-engage them with learning whilst incarcerated. The research was an ethnographic study conducted in one secure children's home in England, conducted in three phases. Phase I consisted of exploring the educational experiences of 16 young offenders. Phase II consisted of five in-depth case studies, each comprising an authentic inquiry process designed to begin with an authentic interest from the learner and to connect to a useful educational outcome. Phase III aimed to understand how the secure unit could facilitate re-engagement with learning. The insight from these individual case studies of young offenders in a secure custodial setting is a breakthrough in new knowledge. Findings showed that re-engaging even the most disengaged learner within a relatively short space of time was possible, thereby representing a vital opportunity within the secure context.
