Wetherby Young Offender Institution lost ground during Covid - report

Wetherby Young Offender Institution is the largest site of its kind in the country

A young offender institution in West Yorkshire "lost ground" during the pandemic, with inmates having less to keep them occupied, a report has found.

Inspectors found progress at Wetherby Young Offender Institution was being hindered by its "unwieldly" and "constantly changing management team".

An unannounced inspection in November also found a fall in standards in a unit for the most vulnerable inmates.

The Prison Service said it was working to improve the areas highlighted.

The site currently has a population of 140 boys and young men and three girls, all aged aged between 15-18.

Charlie Taylor, Chief Inspector of Prisons, said although Wetherby had opened up its regime from Covid restrictions quicker than other similar sites, inmates still spent too long in their cells.

'Calmer atmosphere'

Inmates were unlocked "for only six hours a day on weekdays and fewer than five at weekends", Mr Taylor said.

Referring to the Keppel Unit at Wetherby, which housed some of the most vulnerable children in the institution, the report said it "felt more like another wing of the main prison" rather than provision for those with complex needs.

Mr Taylor said the Keppel Unit needed "some real grip from the leadership, with the aims re-established and suitable staff selected and trained to recover its distinct purpose".

Although Wetherby had declined in some areas, the report highlighted safety in the prison was "reasonably good" and only 3% of inmates there said they felt unsafe - an "impressive reduction" from 27% at the last inspection.

Inspectors also noted that levels of violence at the prison had dropped and that the prison had "worked hard to provide a more suitable environment" for the small number of girls who had been housed there.

Mr Taylor said: "The calmer atmosphere should provide the opportunity for children to spend more time out of their cells and be involved in a wider range of purposeful activity."

A Prison Service spokesperson said it is "working on an action plan to address the areas of improvement highlighted in the report".

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