Children must be diverted from offending says the report

Senator Stuart Syvret was commenting on the findings of the Bull report, which strongly criticised schools and institutions in the island for the way they look after children with emotional and behavioural problems.

A report by UK educational expert Kathie Bull lays bare a catalogue of failures in the way Jersey's young people are looked after, particularly those in care homes or with behavioural problems.

The States of Jersey is not employing people as an act of charity Senator Stuart Syvret

It was controversially published by Mr Syvret, who claimed the public had a right to know about its findings.

He said anyone who was responsible for island children and not doing their job properly would need to be weeded out.

He said: "If there are staff that are failing and that couldn't be made up to standard through proper training and guidance and support that they ought to have, then they would have to go.

"Ultimately the States of Jersey is not employing people as an act of charity.

"People have to be able to do the job effectively that they're being paid for on behalf of the public to carry out."

Teachers criticised

Three committees have joined together to find a way to improve the way children are cared for in the island.

The Bull report says urgent action must be given to youth programmes aimed at diverting children in the community away from offending behaviour.

The report says that about 50% of burglaries are committed by people under 18.

It recommends the States invests in a specialist centre offering activities, such as outdoor education, to schools across the island.

The report also says that some teachers at Jersey's largest secondary school need to raise teaching standards.

Disruptive pupils

It says six out of nine lessons observed at Le Rocquier school were either "unsatisfactory" or "poor".

The report says some teachers have few strategies for managing low level misbehaviour, or for planning stimulating lessons.

Many of the teachers interviewed claimed disruptive pupils are the school's greatest problem.

But the report says the school must accept the link between poor teaching and misbehaviour.