Children in Staffordshire Young Offender Institution 'too scared' to leave their cells for days on end due to violence

HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) carried out an unannounced visit at Werrington Young Offender Institution, which was branded the most violent facility in the country in 2022.

There is almost one assault a day at the institution with 324 assaults over the previous 12 months, including 44 that resulted in hospital treatment.

After the visit in April this year inspectors described the situation as "totally unacceptable": some cells were not unlocked for days and 85 per cent of children there were not receiving "adequate education". 

On average children were only spending three and a half hours a day outside their cells. 20 per cent of inmates said they felt unsafe, while only 34 per cent felt cared for by staff.

However in the report, published in July, HMP Werrington's leadership team was described as stable and working well to tackle staffing shortages.

Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor said: “Despite clear improvement in safeguarding procedures and some concerted efforts to reduce conflict and violence, the key challenges of weak relationships between staff and children and ineffective behaviour management remained. 

"In the absence of effective systems to motivate children, time for staff to build relationships, or an education curriculum that engaged them, the overwhelming culture was one of control and separation."

He added: “The average time out of cell was just three and a half hours a day and we found evidence that a small number of children, many of whom were too scared to leave their cell, were not unlocked for several days in a row. This would be poor in any prison but is completely unacceptable in one holding children.”

Mr Taylor also noted that the lack of education received by inmates made it less likely that they will be able to move away from offending after their release from prison.

Safeguarding procedures had "improved considerably" since the previous visit in 2023, and there had been an increase in the number of safeguarding referrals. Levels of violence had increased since 2023, but were comparable to other YOIs, with 324 assaults over the previous 12 months, including 44 that resulted in hospital treatment.

At the time of the inspection, Werrington was holding 78 boys aged between 15 and 18, below the operational capacity of 118.

Inspectors gave the facility a ‘not sufficiently good’ score for Safety, an improvement on the ‘poor’ rating it received in 2023. But Purposeful Activity was again rated ‘poor’, while Care remained ‘not sufficiently good’. Resettlement was again rated ‘reasonably good’.

HMIP identified eight specific concerns, five of which were classed as priorities, requiring ‘immediate’ attention from leaders.

The Ministry of Justice says that HMYOI Werrington has made a number of improvements, such as the recruitment of a dedicated head of skills, education and work. The facility is also embedding welfare checks into daily routines, and introducing protected time for youth justice worker to lead to ‘meaningful engagement’ with children.

A spokesperson said: “Education is fundamental to reducing reoffending and we are committed to tackling the challenges outlined in this inspection report.

“We have already taken action to embed daily welfare checks and ensure there is more time for youth justice workers to support young offenders with meaningful activities.”