In a catalogue of concerns, inspectors revealed how escort vehicles with caged compartments were inappropriately used to transport children and that the average length of children's detention had increased, creating a detrimental effect on children and their families.
Anne Owers made the comments in a report published last week. Yarl's Wood, near Bedford, is the main immigration centre for women and families and holds up to 405 people.
Inspectors said that, while child welfare services had improved, they were "dismayed" to find cases of disabled children being detained and children being incarcerated for long periods of time. The report also found that, although the nursery was well-resourced, education and after-school activities for children were inadequate. Inspectors did rate the physical environment in the children's unit as good and noted "significant improvements" in childcare. However, they were concerned that the length of detention for young people had almost doubled.
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