HMP/YOI Eastwood Park's Mary Carpenter Unit - good outcomes for young women

The Mary Carpenter Unit at HMP/YOI Eastwood Park continued to provide a good service, said Nick Hardwick, Chief Inspector of Prisons, publishing the report of an unannounced inspection of the juvenile unit in Gloucestershire.

This small facility for 17-year-old young women is located in Eastwood Park women’s prison. Although it can hold up to 16 young women, at the time of its inspection there were just six in the facility. This unannounced inspection followed up recommendations from its previous inspection in 2011.
Inspectors found some changes and some emergent weaknesses, but overall the unit continued to provide good outcomes for young women.

Inspectors were pleased to find that:

  • the unit was a safe place with little bullying;
  • staff were engaged, and both young women and staff had confidence in being able to report and challenge any incidents;
  • formal child protection structures had improved and behaviour management arrangements worked;relationships between staff and young women remained excellent;
  • the mental health service was exceptional; and
  • resettlement planning was tailored to an individual’s needs and was organised by its youth offending team (YOT) worker, who worked jointly with the young person’s home YOT and other agencies.

Inspectors were, however, concerned to find that:

  • the quality of the environment was disappointing with grubby cells and poor hygiene in the kitchen;
  • some structures to support diversity needed improvement; and
  • there had been a contraction in the range of education and vocational training, with training now quite limited.

Nick Hardwick said:

‘The Mary Carpenter Unit is a highly specialised facility. Although it holds only a few young women, the challenge of providing interventions that work, for arguably some of the most damaged and vulnerable young women in the country, should not be underestimated. The evidence we saw suggests that the unit continues to provide a good service with good outcomes.’

Michael Spurr, Chief Executive Officer of the National Offender Management Service (NOMS), said:

‘This is a very positive report, which recognises the good work taking place at the Mary Carpenter Unit to provide a safe, positive and supportive environment for the vulnerable young women it holds.

‘The Governor will work with the Youth Justice Board to deliver further improvements in the quality of the environment and the provision of education and vocational training.’

Notes to editors:

  1. View a copy of the report. (312 kB)
  2. HM Inspectorate of Prisons is an independent inspectorate, inspecting places of detention to report on conditions and treatment, and promote positive outcomes for those detained and the public.
  3. This unannounced full follow-up inspection was carried out from 13-17 August 2012.
  4. The Mary Carpenter Unit is a discrete, dedicated juvenile unit in the grounds of HMP/YOI Eastwood Park. It looks after 17-year-old young women on remand, serving detention and training orders or Section 91/92 sentences.
  5. Please contact Jane Parsons at HMI Prisons on 020 7035 2123 or 07880 787452 if you would like more information or to request an interview with Nick Hardwick.