Source · IMB Annual Report
Werrington
Year: 2022
Published: 17 Jan 2023
Type: Prison · Cat YOI
Population: 59
Recommendations: 6
Key concerns
Positive findings
The IMB has grave concerns about HMYOI Werrington, deeming it unsafe for both young people and staff due to a significant increase in violence, including assaults and weapon making. Low staffing levels and sickness led to a severely restricted regime, particularly at weekends, with young people spending excessive time locked in their rooms. Education provision was inadequate, and staff-young person relationships deteriorated.
Safety statistics
| Indicator | This year | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Deaths in custody | 0 | — |
| Self-harm incidents | 37 | 37 |
| ACCT cases opened | 66 | — |
| Prisoner assaults | 105 | — |
| Assaults on staff | 124 | — |
Positive findings
The Board commends reception and healthcare staff for their care and effective work, noting successful health initiatives like hepatitis C micro-elimination and sexual health screening. The kitchen provided excellent catering during the pandemic, and the chaplaincy department offers good support across faiths. The resettlement team is effective, achieving positive outcomes for young people, including an increase in Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL). The shift to a more vocational education approach, including the successful Restart dog training programme, has improved engagement, and the Board welcomed the provision of laptops, permission for young people to wear their own clothes, and commencement of unit redecoration.
Key concerns
Safety
Repeated
The Board has grave concerns about violence and the amount of time young people spend out of their rooms. During the reporting period the level of violence has increased, with both attacks on young people by young people and attacks on staff, some requiring hospital treatment.
Staffing
The low staffing levels, due to Covid-19 and long-term sickness, have resulted in young people not going to education and a reduced regime, especially at the weekends.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
What justification could there be for young people (legally children) being locked behind doors, often for up to 23 hours a day?
Education/Purposeful Activity
The Board does not consider the educational provision was adequate due to curriculum, facilities, restricted regime and violence.
Staffing
The Board is concerned that in the reporting year it has received 17 applications from young people about staff whose relationships with young people have broken down.
Other
Repeated
How can you guarantee that the IMB, which provides external scrutiny, is able to monitor such crucial processes as rule 49 reviews?
Estate/Conditions
young people’s rooms have been a cause of concern for the IMB: often not fully equipped with such basics as curtains and clean toilets and walls.
Education/Purposeful Activity
The Board continued to be disappointed by the physical appearance of the classrooms and the approach to them: they seemed neither child friendly, nor stimulating and interesting.
Recommendations
| # | Recommendation | Addressee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | How will you improve relationships between officers and young people so that they are sustained and meaningful? | Governor / Director | |
| 2 | How will you instil confidence in the many young officers so that they enjoy the role and become more effective? | Governor / Director | |
| 3 | How will you promote the concept of Werrington as an educational establishment first and foremost, rather than just a prison? | Governor / Director | |
| 4 | How can you guarantee that the IMB, which provides external scrutiny, is able to monitor such crucial processes as rule 49 reviews? Repeated | Governor / Director | |
| 5 | Is it of concern to the Minister that there is such limited improvement at Werrington given that there are so few young people in custody and a full staff complement? | Other | |
| 6 | What justification could there be for young people (legally children) being locked behind doors, often for up to 23 hours a day? | HMPPS |
Applications to the IMB
| Category | Current | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation, including laundry, clothing, ablutions | 0 | 1 |
| Confidential applications | 9 | 4 |
| Discipline, including adjudications, incentives schemes, sanctions | 3 | 2 |
| E1 Letters, visits, telephones, public protection restrictions | 2 | 0 |
| E2 Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 0 | 3 |
| Equality | 5 | 0 |
| Food and kitchens | 0 | 0 |
| H1 Property within this establishment | 3 | 1 |
| H2 Property during transfer or in another establishment or location | 1 | 0 |
| H3 Canteen, facility list, catalogue(s) | 0 | 0 |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 0 | 1 |
| Miscellaneous, including complaints system | 3 | 1 |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, library, regime, time out of cell | 4 | 0 |
| Sentence management, including HDC, release on temporary licence, parole, release dates, re-categorisation | 0 | 4 |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 9 | 0 |
| Transfers | 0 | 0 |
Other reports for Werrington
Report details
- Establishment
- Werrington
- Type
- Prison · Cat YOI
- Report year
- 2022
- Published
- 17 January 2023
- Responsible body
- Werrington
- Recommendations
- 6
Population
| Population | 59 |
| Operational capacity | 118 |
Service providers
Education and purposeful activity
Novus
Estate management
Amey
Mental health/substance misuse
Inclusion (Midlands Partnership NHS Trust)
Physical healthcare
Practice Plus Group
Restart
Moorlands Dog Rescue