Thread by @SimonMorton93

Children in young offender institutions (YOIs) face “a real risk of psychological decline” following strict restrictions implemented during lockdown, the chief inspector of prisons has warned.

https://twitter.com/prisonersadvice/status/1296040463078699008

Peter Clarke says his concerns over an impending crisis must be “addressed urgently, so that prisoners, children and detainees do not suffer long-term damage to their mental health and wellbeing, and prisons can fulfil their rehabilitative goals”.

Children in YOIs lost out on 16-weeks of face-to-face education during lockdown, the report reveals, with cuts “disproportionately” affected children in public sector custody.

Only children at privately-run Parc received face-to-face education during the time in which strict lockdown measures were imposed on the youth secure estate, he says.

The report also finds that in every YOI except Parc, based in Wales, children were locked in their cells for more than 22 hours a day for 16 weeks from March, when restrictions were imposed, until early July.

Some children were only allowed out of their cells for 40 minutes during periods of the lockdown, Clarke adds.

He says: “The main cause of this reduced time out of cell was the cancellation, by HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS), of all face-to-face education,

a decision which was enforced even when governors believed they had designed local processes to allow it to take place safely. Instead, children were offered in-cell education packs.”

Clarke adds that he “does not understand” why children in public sector prisons had face-to-face education suspended for 16 weeks while “throughout the restrictions, vulnerable children in the community and in privately-run secure sites were able to continue to attend school.”

The report also finds that while all children released from prison during the lockdown were met by a suitable adult and placed in suitable accommodation,

two boys leaving Feltham were forced to spend an extra night in custody due to their late release meaning accomodation was unavailable until the next morning.

It also highlights that children’s biggest concern during lockdown was the suspension of face-to-face visits from family members.

@threadreaderapp please unroll.