Watchdog demands answers from Gyimah on youth custody attacks

A report by the independent monitoring board (IMB) for Wetherby Young Offender Institution in Yorkshire, which holds up to 336 15- to 17-year-olds, found that levels of violence increased during the last 12 months.

It reveals that, in addition to an increase in attacks involving multiple young people attacking one young person, there have been 117 assaults towards male and female officers, 19 of which were serious assaults, classified as grievous bodily harm.

"This continues to pose significant challenges to the running of the prison and maintaining the safety of the young people," the report states.

"What is being done to reduce the level of violence and the number of attacks on both young people and officers?

"Can the [prisons and probation] minister reassure the board that this matter is being addressed nationally?"

Members of the IMB said there is evidence of good work at Wetherby on a daily basis and praised the "heroic efforts" of many staff when dealing with serious incidents or trying to de-escalate situations.

But it said that the introduction of the new "core day", including the emphasis on 30 hours of education a week, has "proved difficult to implement".

And injuries sustained at work, stress and high sickness levels, plus the removal of some staff to work elsewhere in the prison estate, resulted in "seemingly reduced staff numbers".

"Extreme violence is sadly a common occurrence not only between the young people but directed at male and female officers," the report states.

"Some officers felt sufficiently unsafe and unsupported by management that in February 2016 the establishment was on lockdown as the officers withdrew to a place of safety."

The report adds that the extent to which staffing levels have been reduced by government policy in recent years "continues to create a challenging environment for management, staff and young people at Wetherby".

"The situation is exacerbated by the need to send officers on detachment to other establishments and other absences such as sick leave.

"Redeployment of staff within the establishment to cover shortages means that staff may end up doing work for which they are not properly trained and unable to do the role for which they are qualified and appointed."

Members of the board said that low levels of staffing in the mental health team has meant they sometimes are only able to undertake initial assessments rather than carrying out ongoing work with young people.

Earlier this month Justice Secretary Elizabeth Truss said that despite the delayed publication of the final report of Charlie Taylor's review into youth justice, there is still work under way to improve youth custody.

"There are some very difficult issues, as I'm sure the committee is aware, in the youth estate," she said.

"We are taking immediate action - we are not waiting to respond to the Charlie Taylor review."