AYJ comment: HMYOI Werrington inspection report highlights crisis in children’s secure estate

HMI Prisons has today (20th May 2022) published its latest inspection report examining children’s experiences in Werrington Young Offender Institution (YOI).

Distressing findings include that violence levels over the last six months were higher than any other prison in England and Wales, leaving over 30 children hospitalised, with children feeling that staff are unable to keep them safe, and unable to access suitable education.  

The report follows a recent National Audit Office publication exploring failures in Secure Training Centres (STC), the lack of progress on Secure Schools, and revealing the HM Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) projection that the number of children in custody will double in the next few years. 

Commenting on the report, AYJ Chief Executive Pippa Goodfellow said: 

“The shocking failures uncovered during this inspection are even more distressing considering that Werrington is currently only operating at half capacity. Alarm bells are ringing - and must be heard - about how an estate already on its knees will be drawn even further into deep crisis, if the number of children in custody rapidly increases, as projected.  

The Ministry of Justice and Youth Custody Service should be doing everything in their power, with the utmost urgency, to prevent that expectation becoming reality. Yet the absence of a clear vision or ambition for children in custody suggests that the government is resigned to the fact that the number of children in the secure state will climb, while children in custody continue to be unsafe.

A national strategy and improvement plan is urgently needed, to set a clear direction for coordinated action to keep children out of custody, to fulfil the commitment to close YOIs and STCs, and to drive immediate improvements to ensure that children held in these establishments in the meantime have their needs met and rights upheld.”