Source · Select Committees · Justice Committee
Recommendation 18
18
Acknowledged
Inconsistent and insufficient purposeful activity across the prison estate hinders rehabilitation.
Conclusion
We agree wholeheartedly with Lord Timpson that there is too much inconsistency across the prison estate. Purposeful activity is integral to supporting rehabilitation. It is therefore disappointing that it continues to be deprioritised by HMPPS amidst other pressures. We are sympathetic to the current constraints the Government is facing regarding overcrowding, staffing, and the physical estate. However, the regime offer is simply not sufficient for supporting efforts towards rehabilitation. We recognise that these problems cannot be resolved overnight, but more needs to be done in the meantime to provide a consistent regime to support the needs of all prisoners. (Conclusion, Paragraph 88)
Government Response Summary
The government commits to considering and assessing the effectiveness of introducing a statutory minimum for time out of room for children in legislation, while noting existing efforts and monitoring within the Youth Custody Service.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
84. We are committed to ensuring that children have the maximum possible time out of their rooms. We will consider introducing a statutory minimum for time out of room in legislation, and will assess whether legislation is the most effective means to achieve this objective. 85. The Youth Custody Service (YCS) already work to an expectation of providing each child with 8-hour time out of room per day, as part of its three-year roadmap to effective practice. 86. Time out of room is monitored centrally on a regular basis and is improving at a steady state across all sites. Balancing a cohort with increasingly violent offences and the need to keep all children safe through complex keep-apart processes, is often the main barrier to meeting this minimum. 87. This 8-hour minimum per day is currently met in Secure Children’s Homes, Oakhill Secure Training Centre and Parc YOI. Although Feltham, Werrington and Wetherby are not achieving this as an average, they do have children who are out of their rooms for 8 hours or more. Prison Education