Source · IMB Annual Report
Youth estate
Year: 2020
Published: 8 Jun 2021
Type: Prison · Cat YOI
Key concerns
Positive findings
Pre-COVID, Boards raised concerns about high levels of violence, gang activity, and inadequate mental health resources, calling for cross-governmental action. During the first national lockdown, young people endured exceptionally restrictive regimes, locked in rooms for over 22 hours daily with minimal activity, severely impacting their mental and physical health and education. The pandemic exposed and exacerbated existing systemic problems, particularly in mental health, education, and progression, with an increased remand population further compounding issues.
Positive findings
The report noted some improvements in ACCT processes and enhanced family contact arrangements, including in-cell telephony. Healthcare provision saw positive changes, with encouraging projects for young people and improved quality of care. Boards commended staff commitment in supporting vulnerable young people and positive inter-agency teamwork. During COVID-19, staff and young people showed resilience, with some positive staff-young person relationships noted amidst restrictions.
Key concerns
Safety
High levels of violence, including assaults on staff and between young people, remained a significant concern across the youth estate, alongside ongoing issues of bullying and intimidation.
Mental Health
Repeated
Severe delays in transfers to secure mental health settings due to a national shortage of mental health beds, leading to prolonged and inappropriate stays in segregation for young people with complex needs.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Education provision was unsatisfactory, under-resourced, and inconsistent, with frequent cancellations disrupting learning pre-COVID, and becoming woefully inadequate during the first national lockdown.
Resettlement/Release
Extremely poor central sentence planning by HMPPS caused significant delays in transfers for over-18-year-olds to the adult estate, often resulting in prolonged stays in segregation.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
Patchy and often poor support from local authorities for looked after young people, with some councils failing to provide adequate care plans or accommodation details prior to release.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
During the first national lockdown, young people in all four YOIs spent at least 22 hours a day locked in their rooms, effectively in solitary confinement, severely hindering their progression and rehabilitation.
Report details
- Establishment
- Youth estate
- Type
- Prison · Cat YOI
- Report year
- 2020
- Published
- 8 June 2021