Rochester: Cookham Wood young offenders institution called inhumane

Cookham Wood was placed in emergency measures after the report in April

A young offenders institution in Rochester has been called "inhumane" by inspectors who flagged up a catalogue of concerns.

The watchdog's report said Cookham Wood, near Rochester, Kent, had become "worse not better" since its last inspection.

Boys often spent just a couple of hours outside their cells, said the report.

A Youth Custody spokesperson said "much more needs to be done" and "robust plans" had been put in place.

The Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) report, which covered a one year period beginning in September 2022, said there was "fearfulness and an expectation of violence" among the boys at Cookham Wood, which holds teenage boys between the ages of 15 and 17.

"Too many boys have stated that they feel unsafe," said the report.

Inspectors also said prison officer numbers were "inadequate", that "inconsistency and last-minute changes" had an effect on the boys' mental health and sense of loneliness, and that boys could go for days with "less than two hours out of their cells".

The IMB said that assaults on staff were triggered by "frustration" at boys' excessive time spent in their cells.

The report also said that Cookham Wood was "unable to provide a consistently fair and humane regime" this year.

'Failing institution'

A Youth Custody spokesperson said "much more" needed to be done to "better help the young people in our care to turn their backs on crime".

"That is why, as the report recognises, we have put in place robust plans to improve safety and support for those with complex needs - and across the youth estate assaults are down on the previous year," said the spokesperson.

Campbell Robb, chief executive of national social justice charity Nacro, said Cookham Wood was a "failing" institution and that putting children in prison should be "an absolute last resort".

He said: "Where children are isolated, locked away and denied the support they need to turn their lives around.

"This is an easy way for young people to quickly lose hope in their lives and future."

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