G4S loses contract for STC where staff degraded young people

The Youth Justice Board said a new five-year contract for running Rainsbrook STC in Northamptonshire, which is currently managed by G4S, will go to MTCnovo, a joint venture between public, private sector and third sector organisations.

The decision to hand the new contract to a different provider comes just months after an inspection of Rainsbrook found that there had been "serious incidents of gross misconduct by staff", including some who were in positions of leadership.

Inspectors found evidence of drug use among prison staff and smuggling of contraband for young people held at the establishment.

As a result of the concerns some youth offending teams (YOTs) refused to send young people to the establishment.

G4S said it has agreed to the YJB’s request to extend the existing contract for Rainsbrook to allow for the transition to new management.

The YJB said it is finalising arrangements with G4S for a short term extension to the existing contract.

Meanwhile G4S has successfully won the contract to continue managing Medway STC in Kent for the next five years.

As part of the agreement G4S will fund an extension to Medway’s vocational training centre. Education services will be delivered in partnership with the crime reduction charity Nacro.

G4S said that under the bidding arrangements, it was not permitted to win both contracts being re-tendered.

Paul Cook, managing director of G4S children’s services, said the firm’s plans for Medway build on work already done to improve education, rehabilitation and resettlement.  

“At its heart is a re-built vocational training centre and we look forward to working with the Youth Justice Board, crime reduction charity Nacro and our other partners to continue to help young people to turn their lives around,” he said.