HMYOI Hindley had made significant improvements, but was still struggling to keep some of the boys it held safe, said Nick Hardwick, Chief Inspector of Prisons, publishing the report of an unannounced inspection of the young offender institution near Wigan.

HMYOI Hindley has two adjacent sites under one governor. This inspection was of the lower site which held 161 boys, mostly aged 16 and 17. The upper site held young adults aged between 18 and 21. During the inspection it was announced that the number of young adults held was to increase significantly which risked detracting attention from the safe management of the very vulnerable and challenging younger boys. The inspection took place while the inquest of Jake Hardy was in progress. Jake Hardy was a 17-year-old boy who had killed himself while at Hindley. The inquest identified a number of serious failings by HMYOI Hindley that contributed to his death. The vulnerability of many of the boys held at Hindley appeared greater than inspectors see elsewhere. About half were in touch with mental health services. Two out of five said they had been in local authority care. In the light of this, some of the outcomes Hindley achieved were very impressive.
Inspectors were pleased to find that:

• the quality of education, learning and skills provided was the best inspectors have seen in any YOI holding this age group;
• Ofsted judged provision to be as good, it not better, than that found in the community;
• the quality of teaching was good and sometimes outstanding and motivated boys failed by the ordinary school system;
• behaviour in education was well managed and staff had high expectations of the boys, reflected in achievements;
• resettlement work was also good, with well organised services;
• no young person had left without accommodation to go to and most had a job or training place to start soon after release;
• there was good access to programmes that would help boys to change their offending behaviour;
• relationships between boys and staff had improved since the last inspection and boys said the support they received from personal officers was much more effective than had been the case;
• support for boys at risk of suicide and self-harm had improved;
• processes to identify and track bullies and support victims were good, but intelligence about bullying needed to be more rigorously followed up; and
• staff challenged poor behaviour when they saw it and the use of force had declined.

However, inspectors were concerned to find that:

• despite its efforts, Hindley struggled to keep the vulnerable boys it held safe;
• intimidating shouting out of windows at night remained a problem;
• on average there was one fight or assault every day;
• the environment and regime in the segregation unit remained poor; and
• consideration was being given to withdrawing funding from the Willow Unit, a psychologically-informed resource for boys with the most complex problems.

Nick Hardwick said:

“Overall, this inspection found some significant but necessary improvement at Hindley. Some aspects, such as learning and skills and resettlement work, are now very good, comparing favourably not just with other YOIs but with similar provision in the community. However, these improvements are fragile. The boys Hindley holds are now more vulnerable and more challenging than ever and, as in other YOIs we have inspected, the evidence of this inspection suggests a much more fundamental review is required about how best to hold these boys safely and securely. In the short term, it is essential that the pressures involved in expanding the young adults side, as the same time as managing budget reviews and new policy initiatives on the boys side, do not provide a dangerous distraction to managing the already high risks involved in keeping the boys at Hindley safe, secure and prepared for a positive new start when they leave.”

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

“Hindley manages a very complex and challenging population and the Governor and his staff deserve real credit for the impressive progress they have made.

“As the Chief Inspector recognises, the young people there are being given access to good quality education, training and resettlement work which are all key to their rehabilitation.

“Safety is the Governor’s top priority and it will continue to be given the necessary focus as they build on the progress made and take forward the recommendations.”

Notes to Editors:

1. Read the report.
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. HMP & YOI Hindley is a cluster site comprising a closed under-18 YOI holding boys between the age of 15 and 18, and a closed separate young adult YOI holding young adult males between the age of 18 and 21. This inspection looked at the site holding boys aged 15 to 18.
4. This unannounced inspection was carried out from 3-14 March 2014.
5. Please contact Jane Parsons on 020 3681 2775 or 07880 787452, or Barbara Buchanan on 020 3681 2772 if you would like more information or to request an interview.