Justice Committee launches new inquiry into youth custody

The Justice Committee is today (Monday, 12 January) launching a new inquiry into Children and young adults in the secure estate in England and Wales.

MPs on the cross-party Committee chaired by Labour MP Andy Slaughter will examine whether current provision is meeting the statutory aim of preventing offending and upholding a child-first approach.

The inquiry will look at the challenges posed by this small, highly complex custodial population. It will assess the appropriateness and suitability of the youth estate for children and young adults, as well as the issues of violence, safety, disorder, education and staffing. 

Children and young adults in custody are currently held in Young Offender Institutions (YOIs), Secure Children's Homes (SCHs) and Secure Training Centres (STCs). The first secure school, Oasis Restore, was opened in May 2024 by Oasis Restore Trust. One year after it opened, the school temporarily closed following an Ofsted Report.

Members of the Justice Committee visited Feltham YOI in early January to see the issues first hand.

Chair of the Justice Committee Andy Slaughter said: “The population of children and young adults in secure settings has decreased significantly over the last decade from a high of around 7,000 to just under 400. Yet despite this the remaining cohort exhibits extremely high and complex needs. Mental health provision is severely strained in meeting acute levels of trauma, neurodevelopmental conditions such as ADHD, autism and learning disabilities. 

“This timely inquiry will examine to what extent the current mix and number of custodial settings is fit for purpose in meeting the complex needs and welfare requirements of children and young adults in the secure estate in England and Wales. 

“The Committee will explore the issues of staffing and safety, assessing the key drivers of violence and disorder, including the use of control measures such as PAVA. Given concerns over current conditions, access to education and purposeful activity, this inquiry will shine an urgent light on youth custody settings and the relationship between inadequate provision and poor rehabilitative outcomes.”

Terms of Reference

The Committee is launching a call for written evidence and invites evidence submissions through the website addressing any or all of the issues raised in the following terms of reference by Friday, 13 March 2026: 

The appropriateness and suitability of the youth estate for children and young adults 

1. To what extent is the current mix and number of custodial settings (YOIs, STCs, SCHs and Secure School) fit for purpose in meeting the complex needs and welfare requirements of children and young adults in secure settings?
2. Are children and young people currently able to access purposeful activity, education and healthcare (particularly mental health services) as required whilst in custody?

• Is the placement of children as young as 10–12 years old in custody appropriate, and how are their specific rights, such as access to education, being upheld?

1. How does the ability of children in custody to maintain regular, meaningful contact with their families impact their rehabilitation and long-term outcomes?

4. Following the decision to end YOI placements for girls, what are the current challenges in ensuring that Secure Children's Homes and the Secure School are sufficiently resourced, trained and meet the highly complex and trauma-driven needs of girls?
5. How effectively are the specific and complex needs of neurodivergent children (e.g. those with ADHD, autism or learning disabilities) and children who have experienced significant trauma being identified, assessed and met through tailored provision in custody?

• How effective is data gathering and cross-organisational data sharing for children who are "looked after" by local authorities, and does this information follow the child into the secure estate to inform care?

Violence, safety and disorder 

6. What are the key drivers of the high levels of violence, self-harm and the use of restraint/force in the children and young adults secure estate and what immediate and long-term actions are required to ensure a safe environment?
7. How effective are the mechanisms for collecting and analysing data on the use of restraint, particularly in identifying and addressing disproportionality in application?
8. Is the current staff training adequate to ensure staff are competent in de-escalation and only use restraint as a last resort, for the minimum duration and without excessive force?
9. How effective are safeguarding and complaints mechanisms in the secure estate?

Staffing  

10. Is the current staffing model (including staff-to-child ratios) adequate across all types of secure provision and what is the impact on child-to-staff relationships, staff retention and support on the quality of care and safety?
11. How effective are the oversight and scrutiny arrangements (including HM Inspectorate of Prisons, Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission) for the secure estate and are there sufficient mechanisms to trigger timely intervention in failing institutions?

Education  

12. What is the relationship between inadequate education provision and poor rehabilitative outcomes?
13. What specific challenges do education providers face in recruiting and retaining appropriately skilled and motivated teaching staff in youth custody settings?

Transitions to adult custody 

14. How effective is the planning and support for the transition of young people (aged 18+) into the adult prison system and are their complex needs adequately transferred and maintained?

• To what extent should support for young adults (18-25) in custody be determined by their developmental needs rather than age?
• In what ways does treating offenders aged 18-25 as a separate cohort improve outcomes compared to their inclusion in the general adult prison population?
• To what extent is the current adult prison population environment suitable for addressing the welfare, safety and rehabilitative needs of young adults (18-25)?