Care leaver transition to adult services

This report for HMP Hull, ending February 2022, highlights a challenging period marked by the ongoing impact of Covid-19 restrictions, which limited IMB monitoring capacity and led to significant staff absences. While safety metrics showed reductions in violence, self-harm, and use of force, serious concerns remain regarding healthcare provision, which was deemed failing by HMIP and led to contract termination. Other critical issues include insufficient cell capacity, restricted key worker support, and ineffective resettlement pathways due to poor external agency communication.

HMP Hewell, a Category B local prison, has shown continued progress in improving safety, cleanliness, and overall humane treatment. Positive developments include enhanced physical healthcare and the establishment of a mental health unit. However, the report highlights persistent challenges such as overcrowding, the poor physical condition of the estate, delays in court proceedings impacting remand prisoners, and slow implementation of a rehabilitative culture, alongside inadequate provision for prisoners with complex needs and disabilities.

HMP Ford is largely deemed a safe environment with fair and humane treatment, effective healthcare, and strong resettlement efforts. However, significant concerns remain regarding unsuitable prisoner arrivals, chronic understaffing in Probation, and a deteriorating prison estate, including outdated accommodation and delays in new builds. The Board also highlights issues with procurement, the lack of consistency in property rules nationally, and challenges in catering and post-release accommodation.

HMP Guys Marsh saw a return to a more normal regime after Covid restrictions, but persistent challenges remained, notably in staffing, safety, and healthcare provision. Violence, often driven by illicit substances, and the lack of effective key working were significant concerns. While some areas like the ISMS team and chaplaincy were commended, mental health services were hampered by the absence of a psychiatrist, and a death in custody highlighted communication and ACCT deficiencies. The Board also raised concerns about low attendance at purposeful activity, the condition of the estate's infrastructure, and the slow complaints process.

Hollesley Bay is an open Category D YOI prison commend for its safe and humane treatment of prisoners, effective COVID-19 management, and progress in equality and resettlement. The introduction of the 'sequencing' regime has provided a more structured approach to learning and external employment. However, the report highlights concerns regarding the prevalence of multiple-occupancy cells, significant backlog in estate maintenance, and perceived inadequacy of food provision. Healthcare delivery is generally satisfactory, though high DNA rates for appointments due to communication issues and dental waiting times require attention.

HMP High Down transitioned to a Category C training and resettlement prison in 2022, implementing gradual regime changes that have positively impacted prisoner life, including improved time out of cell and new community units. The Board noted reductions in self-harm and assaults, and commended improvements in induction and the visits hall. However, significant concerns remain regarding the welfare of IPP prisoners, long delays in transferring mentally unwell individuals, and a high proportion of prisoners leaving without settled accommodation. Persistent issues with lost property, inconsistent key work, and a lack of high-quality employment opportunities continue to hinder effective resettlement and overall humane treatment.

HMP Holme House demonstrated significant improvements in 2022, effectively recovering from Covid-19 disruptions and enhancing safety, healthcare, and resettlement services. While the prison maintained a safe and humane environment, key challenges included slow estate maintenance, deterioration in food quality, and the disproportionate impact of a growing young adult population on violence and self-harm. The IMB also highlighted issues with contractual transparency and the provision of adequate programs for vulnerable prisoners, making several recommendations to address these concerns.

HMP Kirkham, a Category D open prison, maintained a population of 470 against a capacity of 699 during 2022. The Board reported low levels of violence and no deaths in custody, commending staff efforts to re-establish a workable regime post-Covid. Key concerns included the persistent transfer of unsuitable prisoners, the urgent need for CCTV and in-cell technology upgrades, and the curtailment of prisoner activities due to staff redeployments. Despite challenges, 100% of prisoners were accommodated on release, and 62% secured employment.

This report for HMP East Sutton Park covers the period from November 2021 to October 2022. The Board finds the open women's prison to be largely safe and well-run, with good staff-resident relationships and effective resettlement efforts, particularly in securing external employment. Key concerns include the low population numbers hindering full use of capacity, residents arriving with insufficient time for resettlement, and the need to review fire evacuation procedures.

Drake Hall generally provides a safe and humane environment, with commendable staff efforts and good healthcare provision. Key concerns persist regarding the unfit condition of two accommodation units, persistent issues with lost property on transfer, and challenges in education provision post-pandemic. The Board also highlights the difficulty in preparing women transferred close to their release dates for resettlement and issues with mental health staffing and low reporting of discrimination incidents.

HMP Haverigg, an open Category D prison, maintains a safe and settled environment with very low levels of self-harm and violence. Despite significant staffing challenges, particularly in healthcare and offender management, the Board notes improvements in OMU staffing and highly regarded healthcare provision. Key concerns include the ineffective management of transfers from closed estates, inconsistencies across prisons, the need for enhanced IPP prisoner support, and persistent issues with prisoner property and communication from offender managers.

What plans are in place to support 18-year-olds with complex needs who are released from a children’s prison, in terms of housing and probation support?

Will the prison appoint champions in each houseblock to be responsible for care leavers (see section 4.4 Safeguarding)?

What specific actions and resources will be committed to ensure care leavers receive comprehensive support on release, including stable accommodation, access to education or employment and continuity of care, to prevent them from falling through the gaps?

What changes can be made to improve the young people’s life skills for discharge?

Many young people already held at Wetherby who are aged 18+ continue to experience delay while waiting to transfer to the adult estate. It is unreasonable for young people to have to endure a lengthy wait while negotiations take place between establishments. These are frequently complex young people with challenging behaviour, many of whom face long sentences. The heightened anxiety …

Young prisoners returning to the community need a coordinated approach to resettlement that integrates training, employment, and accommodation, as well as social and financial support. What will you put in place to achieve this?

Transition of 18+ boys: Is there end-to-end sentence planning and support for these boys? Do they carry their sentence plan with them when they transition to a young adult institution? Or do they have to start afresh? What steps will be taken to arrange transfers to the adult estate for young adults who are aged 18+ and have long sentences …

What steps will the Youth Custody Service take to reduce delays and ensure a smooth, timely transition for young people moving from youth custody to the adult estate?

What mechanisms will be put in place to ensure local authorities are fully accountable for meeting their statutory duties toward young people in care - both during custody and on release - and what consequences will follow if these obligations are not met?

What specific steps will the local authority take to guarantee that accommodation is secured and assigned well before release?

Why is there a delay in the transfer of 18 year olds and how can this be improved?

The YCS should provide additional care plus end-to-end sentence planning and support for long-sentence boys - with regard to whether young adult institutions (specifically, Aylesbury, Deerbolt and Swinfen Hall) have the capacity to accept an increasing number of 18-year-olds transitioning from juvenile YOIs What steps will be taken to arrange transfers to the adult estate for young adults who are …

There have been several occasions when boys with long sentences, who have reached the age of 18 years, have remained at Cookham Wood for a period of months, instead of being moved to a YOI facility for 18–21-year-olds. This situation has been exacerbated when the boys have been kept in segregation for safety reasons. The delay in organising transfers to …

Remanded prisoners are given few services to assist them with their release: given the big increase in the number of prisoners on remand, when will you address this critical gap in resettlement services?

What will the Government do to achieve better information sharing between Social Services and Youth Custody Services so that Looked After Children (LAC) can easily receive their statutory entitlements? Will you follow up on measures promised last year about how this can be addressed?

What will the Government do to improve information sharing between social services and the YCS so looked-after children (LACs) receive entitlements.

How does the Minister plan to improve ‘through the gate services’ to ensure that discharged prisoners are properly supported in the community? (7.5)

What decisive actions will the Minister take to strengthen coordination and accountability between YOIs and partner agencies, such as immigration services, the adult estate and local authorities, to ensure a seamless and safe handover?

The continued development of appropriate support for vulnerable prisoners on release.

To continue to improve pathways with local authorities and other external agencies, including probation, to enable prompt access to housing, social support and other services, which are required to be put in place before vulnerable women leave detention.

The IMB is concerned about: the increase in the number of prisoners being released without an address

Resettlement services operate in an increasingly demanding environment where policy changes have impacted differently in different areas served by the provision. The IMB looks forward to seeing evidence of the development of a more joined up approach to services provided to women as they leave prison (see section 7.5).

How will you address the problem of prisoners being homelessness on release?

Will the Minister work with Government departments to facilitate and provide appropriate training and resettlement for prisoners?

The decision to send to Brixton men with as little as 28 days left to serve impeded or negated a range of resettlement actions. Will the Prison Service take measures to avoid a repetition of this damage?

Will the Governor continue with initiatives to provide improved conditions and opportunities for young adult prisoners, and to improve the orientation for young offenders, under 21, who are sent to HMP Belmarsh?

Will the Prison Service review, with other agencies, the timely notification of approved premises for released prisoners, to give them the best chance of resettlement and rehabilitation (see section 7.5)?

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 …

We would make a plea that this scheme [housing all rough sleepers during Covid-19] be continued for prisoners leaving custody without accommodation in future.

Despite being quite low, the number of residents released directly into the community is rising. Those directly released deserve to have the appropriate help to achieve similar employment and accommodation opportunities afforded to those residents released from resettlement prisons. This does not happen. In our report last year, we mentioned that it is essential that residents are provided with resettlement …

Intensify efforts to support individuals who are at risk of homelessness on their release from prison and increase the level of expectations on local authorities and the Probation Service to improve accommodation outcomes (see 7.4).

The Board remains concerned that the stated preparation for release path of staged movements from category B to category C and then to a local or category D prison, as defined by HMPPS, represents a particular problem for prisoners convicted of sexual offences and frequently does not seem to happen in practice leaving them to be released from an establishment …

The Board remains concerned about those young people who are ‘looked after’ by the local authority and consider that they are frequently financially disadvantaged due to late payments or lack of financial support. How can this situation be improved?

Address the lack of accommodation available for some prisoners on their release from prison?

When will local authorities improve their communications regarding accommodation to the boys in Cookham Wood?

What support can be provided to help remand prisoners with release planning?

When will the RECONNECT service (care after custody service) be available for prisoners leaving Styal?

How will the Minister work with others to find accommodation for men at risk of being homeless on their release from Bullingdon?

The problems faced by men serving IPPs are still not being addressed. Can the money, which is used to keep them in prison, not be used to provide support, accommodation and employment on release. We have witnessed the upturn in a man’s chances of succeeding once he is released by the extensive work which was carried out here prior to …

How does the Minister plan to improve the support of prisoners released from court or at short notice, who are discharged without suitable accommodation? (7.5)

How will the induction programme be improved to ensure all young people understand how to access basic services within the first 24 hours?

Will HMPPS confirm what actions they are taking to improve the accommodation options for women leaving prisons and when this is likely to have an impact on outcomes?

We hope that there will be a strong and continued focus on making the young adults wing a success.

The general lack of funding of HMPPS has led to a huge failing in preparing prisoners for release and their continued progress in society, which has far too often seen men returning to custody.