Children held in English youth prisons face long cell time, little trust in staff – but Bridgend’s Parc offers glimmer of hope

A MAJOR report from HM Inspectorate of Prisons has exposed alarming failings across the youth justice system in England and Wales – revealing that many children held in custody feel unsafe, isolated, and unable to build basic trust with staff.

The report, published on Tuesday (June 10), followed inspections at three Young Offender Institutions (YOIs) – Wetherby in West Yorkshire, Werrington in Staffordshire, and Parc in Bridgend, Wales. While conditions in the English institutions were found to be deteriorating, inspectors described Parc as a clear outlier, with more structured routines, stronger staff relationships, and significantly more time spent out of cells.

CHILDREN LOCKED UP, IGNORED AND FAILED

At Wetherby and Werrington, children reported being locked in their cells for up to 21 hours a day, often alone and without any meaningful conversation with staff. Many said they did not feel safe. The use of segregation was widespread, with some children spending over 100 days separated from others, in conditions bordering on solitary confinement.

The report concluded that chronic staff shortages, excessive redeployment, and poor implementation of national care frameworks had eroded any chance of building positive relationships. In some cases, boys were only spoken to when being escorted between rooms. Dining alone in cells was the norm, and staff were frequently rotated, breaking continuity of care.

One boy told inspectors: “I haven’t had a proper conversation with a single officer since I arrived.”

PARC: A DIFFERENT PICTURE

In sharp contrast, HMP & YOI Parc in Bridgend, operated by G4S, was praised for providing more stability and structure. Children at Parc typically spent 7–9 hours out of their cells on weekdays, and up to 8 hours even on weekends — double the freedom seen in English YOIs.

Officers at Parc worked in consistent units, enabling them to build familiarity and trust with the boys they supervised. The report said: “Children were out of their cells for much longer every day, the rules were well established, and relationships were stronger.”

Staff at Parc had a better understanding of the Framework for Integrated Care, and children could access education, health support, and therapeutic activities. Importantly, even children placed in separation units at Parc continued to receive education and were not locked in cells all day — a standard not met in England.

However, inspectors still found room for improvement at Parc. Literacy and numeracy outcomes remained below expectations, and while staff were more consistent, not all were effectively trained in trauma-informed care.

NACRO: SYSTEMIC FAILURE MUST BE ADDRESSED

Reacting to the report, the crime reduction charity Nacro said the youth justice system is now in a “growing state of crisis.”

Campbell Robb, Chief Executive of Nacro, said: “Self-harm, violence and isolation are all major issues in the youth estate. Children need adults they can trust – yet this report shows they are being failed. The number of children who say they feel unsafe in custody has doubled in a year. That must change.”

Nacro, which operates in more than 40 prisons across the UK, including Wales, urged the Government to ensure that youth custody is used only as a last resort, and that all children in detention are given a safe and rehabilitative environment.

EDUCATION FAILURES ADD TO THE PROBLEM

In addition to prison conditions, the report drew attention to widespread failures in education provision within the youth estate. A separate December 2024 progress inspection at Parc noted reasonable progress on most issues, but flagged persistent shortcomings in teaching quality, literacy strategies, and reintegration planning.

The education watchdog Estyn, in its annual prison report, also raised concerns about inconsistent teaching and leadership at Parc and HMP Cardiff. Despite some pockets of good practice, inspectors said many learners were not reaching basic levels of literacy or numeracy and that opportunities for purposeful education remained too limited.

Inspectors recommended that education providers and prison staff work more closely together to identify learning needs, plan better lessons, and give young people meaningful qualifications before release.

WEAPONS, VIOLENCE AND RISING DANGER IN ENGLAND

The severity of the problems in England was underscored by new data from Wetherby, where nearly 900 improvised weapons were seized in a single year. Staff recorded over 1,100 restraint incidents, and classroom time was lost on more than 12,000 occasions due to fights, lockdowns, or unsafe conditions.

Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor said: “This report sets out in stark terms the failure by the Youth Custody Service to create environments in which children in YOIs can form positive, appropriate relationships with authoritative, well-trained and well-supported staff.”

He added: “In 2018, my predecessor reported that children who had these relationships with staff were likely to be motivated to engage with behaviour management schemes. Seven years on, behaviour management is an increasing challenge.”

WALES: A MODEL FOR REFORM?

Despite Parc’s relative success, campaigners warn it must not be seen as a reason for complacency. Children in Wales are still subject to the same overarching policies and pressures from the Ministry of Justice and Youth Custody Service. And while Parc offers some of the best practice in the UK, its lessons have yet to be properly implemented elsewhere.

The report calls on the UK Government — and by implication, the Welsh Government in its devolved responsibilities — to:

• End long-term cell confinement of children
• Ensure every child receives at least 15 hours of education per week
• Improve staff training in mental health and trauma-informed care
• Phase out harmful segregation and separation practices
• Reduce custodial use and invest in community alternatives

Parc is not perfect — but it is proof that a better approach is possible. While most YOIs across England continue to fail children, Wales has the opportunity to lead by example. With political will and investment, Bridgend’s example could be the start of a much-needed transformation in how we treat the most vulnerable young people in custody.