CYP Now - Cookham Wood YOI: Inspectors raise concerns over continued violence

Inspectors have warned that levels of violence “remain high” at Cookham Wood young offender institution (YOI) in Kent, despite progress being made to reduce the number of incidents over the last year.

Cookham Wood has 'no clear violence reduction strategy', inspectors found. Picture: Peter Crane

Following their visit in April this year HM Inspectorate of prisons found the number of violent incidents had been cut by a fifth since their last inspection in August 2021.

However, levels of violence are “still higher than in similar facilities”, warn inspectors.

In the six months before their visit this year inspectors found there had been 160 violent incidents, 96 among children and 64 on staff.

Of these 13 incidents were recorded as “serious”, including one where “many members of staff” required hospital treatment.

Staff shortages and low morale among staff, especially following the recent serious violent incident where staff were injured, are among factors in inspectors’ ongoing concerns about violence at Cookham Wood.

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