10. The Inquiry’s REA directed us to evidence from a range of sources that children are generally safer in secure children’s homes (SCHs) as compared to young offender institutions (YOIs) and secure training centres (STCs).[1] The witnesses we heard from agreed, and generally suggested that children were also safer from sexual abuse in SCHs. For example:
11. Matthew Brazier, an Ofsted special adviser on looked-after children, referred to Ofsted’s most recent annual report, dated 13 December 2017, which noted a “marked contrast” between the inspection outcomes for SCHs and STCs. While 86 percent of SCHs were judged good or outstanding, the three STCs were judged less than good.
12. Mr Brazier said the reasons for these problems within the STCs were instability of leadership, at certain points very high staff turnover and high levels of violence. The report had concluded that outcomes for children and young people in YOIs and STCs were much less good and sometimes extremely poor. The report said: “lessons need to be learned urgently about how best to educate and take care of children in the secure estate”.[9]
13. Alison Sykes, Head of Secure and Emergency Services for South Gloucestershire Council and the registered manager for Vinney Green SCH, gave us a practical insight into the different establishments. She told us that at Vinney Green there are 150 staff for 24 children. She knew all of the children personally, but it would be impossible for her to do this when looking after 70, 100 or more young people. By comparison with YOIs and STCs, children in SCHs have much greater private contact with their families. Unlike the other contexts, there are clear, published child safety standards governing SCHs, which make child welfare a primary aim. A person working in a care role in a SCH must have minimum childcare qualifications and there is regular supervision of staff.[10][11][12]
14. On behalf of the Youth Custody Service, Sara Robinson accepted the evidence from the inspectorates that the SCHs generally provide a safer environment.[13]
15. However, SCH places form a relatively small part of the child custody estate. By March 2017, the number of children in SCHs had dropped to 210, of which 49 percent (or around 102) were on justice placements.[14]
16. Some children who should be in SCHs are in fact in YOIs or STCs. Matthew Brazier told us of children in “very, very difficult and upsetting situations” in STCs who should be in “a nurturing environment” in a SCH.[15]
17. The Inquiry’s REA cited evidence that children are generally safer in smaller establishments[16] because they are more likely to facilitate positive staff/child relationships.
18. Many witnesses considered that children were better protected from sexual abuse in smaller institutions:
19. However, Sara Robinson said that one has to be careful not to think simplistically that small is best. It is not necessarily about the size of the operation, it is more about the culture of the leadership, the interventions and the processes that are in place to safeguard children.[22]
20. Prior to the hearings we were aware of the allegations of serious abuse of children by staff at Medway STC, when it was run by G4S, as featured in a Panorama programme broadcast in January 2016. In particular:
21. A press release from the Prison Governors Association in January 2018 stated that contracts for prisons and other services had not been fit for purpose, and running the contracts had diverted managers from running prisons.[27]
22. In light of this evidence, we addressed the question of whether children are generally safer in establishments that are run by state bodies rather than by private contractors, and if so whether this means they are likely to be better protected from sexual abuse in establishments run by state bodies.
23. Some witnesses remained concerned about private custody providers:
24. However:
25. We heard directly from those involved in providing custodial services on a private basis.
26. G4S had run Medway and Rainsbrook STCs until 2016. Medway had been taken over by HMPPS and Rainsbrook by MTC Novo. Jerry Petherick, managing director of G4S Custodial and Detention Services, acknowledged the concerns raised by the Medway Improvement Board and HMIP about Medway in 2016, specifically in HMIP’s case that safety, and the institution as a whole, was inadequate.[35] He accepted that the 2015 HMIP report on Rainsbrook had also found that safety was inadequate,[36] but other reports had not been so critical. He explained that, since the issues that had arisen at Medway, significant efforts had been made by G4S with respect to whistleblowing, safeguarding processes, CCTV, body-worn cameras, shower viewing panels and the introduction of an additional layer of leadership at the chief operating officer level.[37] Nearly all of the personnel who worked at Medway and Rainsbrook are no longer employed by G4S.[38]
27. In terms of other G4S-run institutions:
28. Jerry Petherick was asked about the May 2018 Independent Monitoring Board’s report on the Brook House detention centre run by G4S (although children are not detained there).[42] A further Panorama programme had revealed disturbing scenes of ill-treatment of detainees by some staff. Mr Petherick accepted this reflected some serious concerns. He said there is risk in every custodial situation worldwide of some staff behaving inappropriately and referred to “small pockets of very negative behaviour” that were “well hidden”.[43]
29. Stuart Jessup of MTC Novo is the current Director of Rainsbrook Secure Training Centre. Mr Jessup was involved in the transition of Rainsbrook, following the transfer from G4S. He explained that after the 2017 Ofsted score of ‘inadequate’ an action plan was implemented to address the recommendations.[44] Mr Jessup told us about MTC Novo’s improvements. These included the early implementation of the SECURE STAIRS framework, the changes it has made to enable children to have better contact with the outside world, improvements to the company’s recruitment processes, its staff training programme, the system of supervision for staff, increases to its senior management team, its systems with respect to body-worn cameras, shower viewing panels and night staff rotas.[45] We are aware that the most recent Ofsted report on Rainsbrook noted the improvements that had been made in the four areas of the inspection.[46]
30. Jonathan French of HMPPS has been the governor of Medway since January 2017. The number of children at Medway was very low when he arrived (14) but gradually increased. Since taking over, he has prioritised staff training because many staff indicated they had had very little training at Medway and did not feel equipped to deal with the children they were looking after. He had also initiated training around sexual abuse for some staff. A comparatively high proportion of staff are enrolled on the youth justice foundation degree. The Custody Support Plan (CuSP) scheme was rolled out 12 months ago. Medway is now fully staffed. The Ofsted report in March 2017[47] rated the establishment as ‘inadequate’. However, by March 2018[48] the overall grade had improved to ‘requires improvement’ and the report stated “Medway had improved in all areas since the last inspection”.[49]
31. In terms of the future, Sara Robinson explained there are currently no plans within the Youth Custody Service to put more children in publicly run establishments. Instead the Youth Custody Service intends to follow the recommendation from the Review of the Youth Justice System in England and Wales by Charlie Taylor in 2016 to develop “a secure school, which is built on a principle of smaller provision, looking at 60/70 beds, it’s more geographically based, that is led by a culture that is more akin to education and health and security being secondary, although it is a primary factor in terms of safety for children”. She said these schools would use the approach set out in the Department for Education legislation currently applicable to SCHs. The main differences between secure schools and SCHs is that the former will be run by an education authority and will be bigger.[50]