Prison
Cat YOI
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Werrington
IMB Annual Report 2022 · Published 17 January 2023
The IMB has grave concerns about HMYOI Werrington, deeming it unsafe for both young people and staff due to a significant increase in violence, including assaults and weapon making. Low staffing levels and sickness led to a severely restricted regime, particularly at weekends, with young people spending excessive time locked in their rooms. Education provision was inadequate, and staff-young person relationships deteriorated.
Positive Findings
The Board commends reception and healthcare staff for their care and effective work, noting successful health initiatives like hepatitis C micro-elimination and sexual health screening. The kitchen provided excellent catering during the pandemic, and the chaplaincy department offers good support across faiths. The resettlement team is effective, achieving positive outcomes for young people, including an increase in Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL). The shift to a more vocational education approach, including the successful Restart dog training programme, has improved engagement, and the Board welcomed the provision of laptops, permission for young people to wear their own clothes, and commencement of unit redecoration.
Key Concerns
Safety
Repeated
The Board has grave concerns about violence and the amount of time young people spend out of their rooms. During the reporting period the level of violence has increased, with both attacks on young people by young people and attacks on staff, some requiring hospital treatment.
Staffing
The low staffing levels, due to Covid-19 and long-term sickness, have resulted in young people not going to education and a reduced regime, especially at the weekends.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
What justification could there be for young people (legally children) being locked behind doors, often for up to 23 hours a day?
Education/Purposeful Activity
The Board does not consider the educational provision was adequate due to curriculum, facilities, restricted regime and violence.
Staffing
The Board is concerned that in the reporting year it has received 17 applications from young people about staff whose relationships with young people have broken down.
Other
Repeated
How can you guarantee that the IMB, which provides external scrutiny, is able to monitor such crucial processes as rule 49 reviews?
Estate/Conditions
young people’s rooms have been a cause of concern for the IMB: often not fully equipped with such basics as curtains and clean toilets and walls.
Education/Purposeful Activity
The Board continued to be disappointed by the physical appearance of the classrooms and the approach to them: they seemed neither child friendly, nor stimulating and interesting.
Board Commentary
Staffing
Low staffing levels due to Covid-19 and long-term sickness significantly impacted the regime and education provision, leading to increased boredom and frustration among young people. Staff morale was low, with many reporting fears about aggression and weapon making, contributing to a sharp increase in assaults on staff. The Board observed a breakdown in staff-young person relationships, with interactions often brief and transactional, and noted ineffective supervision during classes.
Healthcare
Physical and mental healthcare provision was proactive, efficient, and highly commended by the Board. Rigorous protocols led to few COVID-19 cases, and successful initiatives included hepatitis C micro-elimination and sexual health screening. The mental health inclusion team provided good support, visible in a reduction in self-harm, and maintained contact during the pandemic. However, the inclusion team reported difficulties in consistently accessing young people due to regime and staffing issues.
Regime & Daily Life
The regime was severely restricted, leading to young people spending worryingly little time out of their rooms, often over 22 hours daily, particularly at weekends due to staff shortages. This was considered inhumane treatment, negatively impacting education, exercise, and mental health. All meals were eaten in isolation, and while new in-room showers offered benefits, they also reduced the allocated time out of cell.
Applications to the IMB
Prisoners can apply to their IMB about any aspect of their treatment. This table shows application counts by category.
| Category | Current | Previous | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation, including laundry, clothing, ablutions | 0 | 1 | |
| Confidential applications | 9 | 4 | |
| Discipline, including adjudications, incentives schemes, sanctions | 3 | 2 | |
| E1 Letters, visits, telephones, public protection restrictions | 2 | 0 | |
| E2 Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 0 | 3 | |
| Equality | 5 | 0 | |
| Food and kitchens | 0 | 0 | |
| H1 Property within this establishment | 3 | 1 | |
| H2 Property during transfer or in another establishment or location | 1 | 0 | |
| H3 Canteen, facility list, catalogue(s) | 0 | 0 | |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 0 | 1 | |
| Miscellaneous, including complaints system | 3 | 1 | |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, library, regime, time out of cell | 4 | 0 | |
| Sentence management, including HDC, release on temporary licence, parole, release dates, re-categorisation | 0 | 4 | |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 9 | 0 | |
| Transfers | 0 | 0 |
Recommendations (6)
Governor / Director: 4
Other: 1
HMPPS: 1
1 repeated
Recommendation 1
How will you improve relationships between officers and young people so that they are sustained and meaningful?
Governor / Director
Staffing
Recommendation 2
How will you instil confidence in the many young officers so that they enjoy the role and become more effective?
Governor / Director
Staffing
Recommendation 3
How will you promote the concept of Werrington as an educational establishment first and foremost, rather than just a prison?
Governor / Director
Education
Recommendation 4
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
How can you guarantee that the IMB, which provides external scrutiny, is able to monitor such crucial processes as rule 49 reviews?
Governor / Director
Other
Recommendation 5
Is it of concern to the Minister that there is such limited improvement at Werrington given that there are so few young people in custody and a full staff complement?
Other
(minister)
Other
Recommendation 6
What justification could there be for young people (legally children) being locked behind doors, often for up to 23 hours a day?
HMPPS
Regime