Board of Education: Technical Branch: Local Education Authority Juvenile Unemployment...

ED 45

1918-1946

Files of the Board of Education Technical Branch concerning Local Education Authority Juvenile Unemployment Centres, later Juvenile Instruction Centres.

The papers relate to the board's policy concerning the provision, administration, and financial aid to local authorities for the establishment of Juvenile Unemployment Centres; organisation and curricula; and include reports thereon by His Majesty's Inspectors.

After the transfer of responsibility for the centres to the Ministry of Labour, the files contain correspondence between the two departments concerning the provision of new centres and the disposal of existing centres.

Some papers relate to the Isle of Man.

In county order for England and Wales; and the Isle of Man.

Other records relating to the creation and work of juvenile unemployment centres are in: LAB 19

Public Record(s)

English

• Board of Education, Technical Branch, 1902-1944
• Ministry of Education, Further Education Branch, 1944-1963

146 file(s)

Topics

Labour

Children

Education

Local Education Authorities were encouraged by the Board of Education to establish Juvenile Unemployment Centres as part of a national effort to mitigate the effects of unemployment after the 1914-1918 war. Facilities were provided for education and instruction of an informal character for young persons between the ages of fourteen and eighteen years of age; attendance at a centre was made a qualifying condition of an Out of Work Donations Scheme

Initially the cost of the Scheme was borne by the Exchequer; after 1919 grant aid was substituted and the cost shared between the Board and the Local Authority.

Attendance at the centres continued to be linked with the payment of benefit under the terms of the Unemployment Insurance Act, 1920 and the Unemployment (Courses of Instruction) Act, 1921. Juvenile unemployment again became a serious problem, and in 1921 Local Education Authorities were asked to submit proposals for opening or re-opening Juvenile Unemployment Centres.

Responsibility gradually devolved upon the Ministry of Labour and under the Ministry of Labour (Transfer of Powers) Order, 1927; followed by the Unemployment Insurance Acts of 1930 and 1934 it became a statutory duty of Education Authorities for Higher Education to provide Juvenile Unemployment Centres, subsequently known as Juvenile Instruction Centres, under the control of the Ministry of Labour. The Board of Education continued to be consulted in an advisory capacity, in matters relating to inspection, and the design of new Centres.