Education of children in custody failing to improve post pandemic, inspectors find
Joe Lepper
Wednesday, January 25, 2023
Young people in custody are continuing to receive “inadequate education” even after lessons were disrupted during the Covid-19 pandemic, a report by inspectors has warning.
The analysis of secure settings visited by HM Inspectorate of Prisons from 2021 to 2022 found that education is at just over half pre-pandemic levels in most young offender institutions (YOIs). This means young people receive just 15 hours a week of lessons, instead of 27 hours before the health crisis.
In addition, children spend too long in their cells, found the inspectorate’s analysis. While nearly all children in secure training centres (STCs) spent more than two hours out of their cells at weekends, just 35 per cent of YOIs reported the same.
“Children cannot be educated or rehabilitated while they are locked up alone in their cells. If children are to lead successful, crime-free lives on release, the Youth Custody Service needs to take urgent action to stop the decline in education, skills and work provision,” found the inspectorate's report.
Among the most impacted groups of young people are those from ethnic backgrounds, who account for more than half of young inmates.
The inspectorate found they spend less time out of their cells, are more often to experience “victimisation by staff”, more likely to be restrained and have less faith in the complaints system.
“Again and again we report on concerns about equality and diversity across the prison estate,” said chief inspector of prisons Charlie Taylor.
“At every YOI inspection in 2021-22 we identified weaknesses in provision and had key concerns that needed to be addressed. Last month, we published an important report on the experiences of black adult male prisoners and prison staff, and it is concerning although sadly not surprising to be finding differences of experiences among children too. These findings have to be taken seriously and acted on.”
Youth custody service struggling post-pandemic.
— HMI Prisons (@HMIPrisonsnews) January 25, 2023
Read Children in custody 2021-22, an analysis of 12–18-year-olds’ perceptions of their experiences in STCs and YOIs - https://t.co/OohgUDKnvF
And the media release - https://t.co/TFjkdWO58l pic.twitter.com/8K8K8VINLP
An exception to the lack of education across the secure youth estate compared to pre-pandemic levels is Parc YOI, in Wales, which offers 25 hours a week of lessons, compared to 25 to 27 hours before the health crisis.
Commenting on the inspectorate’s report, Young Legal Aid Lawyers founder Dr Laura Jones points out that almost two thirds of young inmates are spending 22 hours in their cells a day on weekends with the hashtag #Solitaryconfinement.
