Source · IMB Annual Report
Wetherby
Year: 2020
Published: 14 Oct 2020
Type: Prison · Cat YOI
Population: 197
Recommendations: 8
Key concerns
Positive findings
HMYOI Wetherby, a YOI for up to 360 young people, held 197 at the end of May 2020, with 33% on remand. While the Board welcomed the new Enhanced Support Unit and improvements to the estate and staff morale, significant concerns persist. These include acute shortages of secure mental health beds leading to indefinite waits for transfers, persistent staffing vacancies in healthcare, and the unacceptable lack of daily exercise and time out of cell for young people. Violence and self-harm remain problematic, alongside issues with restraint techniques and BWC usage.
Positive findings
The Board welcomed the opening of Napier, an Enhanced Support Unit, which provides valuable multidisciplinary support for complex young people. Significant improvements have been made to the estate, including in-cell showers and telephones, redecoration, and an improved visits hall. Staff are commended for their exceptional care, patience, and positive relationships with young people. Healthcare morale has increased following organisational development, and the induction process is comprehensive and effective.
Key concerns
Mental Health
Repeated
The acute shortage of secure mental health hospital beds available to meet the needs of the complex YP who are in urgent need of such support, and for whom prison is clearly not the correct place. Many YP wait indefinitely for suitable secure hospital provision.
Safety
Increasing numbers of YP are charged with violent offences and are placed in custody, either sentenced or on remand. There is a need to reduce the levels of violence among YP at a national level.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Lengthy delays for YP on remand before their case came to trial. The situation is worse due to COVID-19, and a large proportion of those YP are acquitted.
Resettlement/Release
The growing number of YP who are being transferred to Wetherby main site from STCs and YOIs at some considerable distance from their home (35 YP in a five-month period), contrary to best practice as it hinders family links and professional support networks.
Resettlement/Release
YP already held at Wetherby who are aged 18+ experience lengthy delays while waiting to transfer to the adult estate.
Overcrowding
An increase in the number of restricted status (RS) YP at Wetherby, with provision almost at capacity.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
The unacceptable lack of daily exercise for YP and insufficient time out of cell, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic when YP remained locked up for 23 hours a day.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Inconsistent delivery and prioritisation of Custody Support Plan (CuSP) sessions, which can only be of benefit if delivered with consistency.
Safety
Misapplication of Managing and Minimising Physical Restraint (MMPR) techniques during incidents, suggesting an urgent need for further training, particularly for inexperienced officers.
Safety
Repeated
Failure to use Body Worn Cameras (BWCs) appropriately, with too many staff not wearing them or not turning them on, meaning insufficient incidents are recorded, which compromises safeguards for staff and YP.
Safety
A significant increase in acts of self-harm, more so on the main site than on the Keppel unit.
Other
Repeated
Unacceptable late arrivals of YP to reception, often after 7pm and sometimes as late as 3am, which exacerbates vulnerability and poses risks during processing by tired staff.
Staffing
Repeated
The continued use of untrained staff in reception, and operational shortfalls which remain problematic, especially when staff take leave.
Healthcare
Long waiting times for non-urgent dental appointments, typically around six to eight weeks.
Staffing
High vacancy rates in healthcare staffing (44% for primary care nursing, 55% for CAMHS nursing), leading to difficulties in recruitment and retention and reliance on agency staff.
Substance Misuse
The drug misuse strategy lacking quarterly meetings, suggesting that the strategic management of substance misuse may be overlooked.
Recommendations
| # | Recommendation | Addressee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
For the fifth consecutive year, the Board asks in its annual report what, if anything, is being done to increase the number of secure mental health hospital beds available to meet the needs of the complex YP who are in urgent need of such support, and for whom prison is clearly not the correct place? What is being done to increase the provision of secure mental health hospital beds for YP? This must now be treated as a priority.
Repeated
Response
HMYOI Wetherby work closely with the national Youth Custody Service (YCS) Placements Team and will always support any young people in custody who would clearly benefit from the services it is able to provide. It is recognised that the children and young people estate is dispersed due to its size, however, the YCS Placements Team do consider the proximity to home as a factor in deciding an appropriate placement. Wherever possible the intention is always to keep the young person located as close as possible to family and those that support them. However, on rare occasions, it may not be in the young person’s best interests to locate them at the establishment closest to their home area or other factors, such as capacity may not make it possible at that time. Since the start of 2020, the YCS Placements team has placed 222 young people into HMYOI Wetherby and only eight of those have been out of catchment due to security and capacity reasons. |
Ministry of Justice | Noted |
| 1 | The Board is concerned about the growing number of YP who are being transferred to Wetherby main site from STCs and YOIs, at some considerable distance from their home. Thirty-five such YP arrived in a five-month period. This seems to be contrary to best practice. It is well documented that outcomes for YP are improved when they are able to maintain good links with their family and the external professionals involved in their care. Wetherby has the capacity, but this should not be used as an excuse to move YP, particularly when those YP are moved for reasons of discipline and security. Many of them present with challenging behaviour and require a high level of support. What is the reason for this and will it continue? | HMPPS | |
| 1 | The Board has always regarded the lack of daily exercise for YP as unacceptable. During the COVID-19 pandemic, exercise was offered daily, albeit for 30 minutes. What reassurance can be given to the Board that this will now, as a minimum, become standard practice? Repeated | Governor / Director | |
| 2 |
Increasing numbers of YP are charged with violent offences and are placed in custody, either sentenced or on remand. What is being done at a national level to reduce the levels of violence among YP?
Response
The YCS Placements Team have oversight of transition planning for all young people moving to the young adult estate. The team works with all sites to ensure the process begins from the age 17 years and 6 months and takes places within one month of them turning 18. While it is for sites locally to identify suitable future locations where any difficulties are encountered with a transfer to a young adult prison estate, HMYOI Weatherby make use of the YCS Placements Team escalation process via the YCS Prison Group Director. |
Ministry of Justice | Accepted |
| 2 | YP already held at Wetherby who are aged 18+ experience lengthy delays while waiting to transfer to the adult estate. Some improvement in the speed with which these YP were being transferred was seen during the latter stages of our reporting year, as a result of COVID-19. The Board wonders if this improvement will continue. It is unreasonable for YP to have to endure a lengthy wait while negotiations take place between establishments. These are frequently complex and challenging YP, many facing long sentences. The heightened anxiety created by endless delays does little to help their behaviour. Can the Prison Service reassure the Board that negotiations between establishments and subsequent transfers will take place expeditiously? | HMPPS | |
| 2 | The Board welcomes the implementation of the custody support plan (CuSP) but considers that it can only be of benefit if delivered with consistency. Is the establishment committed to ensuring that CuSP sessions are dealt with as a priority? | Governor / Director | |
| 3 |
Prior to COVID-19, an increasing number of YP remained in custody on remand, experiencing lengthy delays before their case came to trial. A large proportion of those YP are acquitted. Inevitably, the situation now is worse. What can be done to accelerate the legal process for those YP on remand?
Response
The national Restricted Status Policy Lead and the Prison Group Director for Young People are currently reviewing the use of restricted status accommodation at both HMYOIs Wetherby and Feltham. As these are currently the only two YCS sites accredited for the use of the restricted status security category, the review is focusing on potentially expanding their current capacity, as well as considering if any other site can hold restricted status young people. |
Ministry of Justice | In progress |
| 3 | We have noticed an increase in the number of restricted status (RS) YP at Wetherby. At times, the provision is almost at capacity. Is there a plan to increase this provision, either at Wetherby or elsewhere in the YOI estate? | HMPPS |
Applications to the IMB
| Category | Current | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation (including transfers) | 45 | 38 |
| Complaints against staff | 22 | 26 |
| General application (no specific concern) | 59 | 52 |
| Healthcare (physical and mental health) | 6 | 7 |
| Other (includes security) | 20 | 25 |
| Property | 67 | 62 |
| Total | 160 | 158 |
Other reports for Wetherby
Report details
- Establishment
- Wetherby
- Type
- Prison · Cat YOI
- Report year
- 2020
- Published
- 14 October 2020
- Responsible body
- YOI Wetherby
- Recommendations
- 8
Population
| Population | 197 |
| Operational capacity | 360 |
| Time out of cell | 1.0h/day |
Service providers
Escort service
GeoAmey
GP services
Wetherby medical practice
Independent advocacy
Barnardo’s
Learning and skills
Novus
Maintenance
Amey
Mental health care
South West Yorkshire NHS Foundation Trust
Mentoring
In2Out
Primary care
Leeds Community Health Care NHS Trust
Youth work
Kinetics Youth Work Services