A new system of managing physical restraint in youth custody is an improvement on what went before, said Nick Hardwick, Chief Inspector of Prisons. Today he published a report on the implementation of the new system of behaviour management and restraint in young offender institutions (YOIs) and secure training centres (STCs).

The introduction of the new system, known as ‘minimising and managing physical restraint’ (MMPR), was the culmination of a long process initiated following the deaths of two boys in 2004. Gareth Myatt died after he became unconscious during a restraint in an STC. Adam Rickwood hung himself after a ‘pain compliance’ technique was applied to him.

MMPR is intended to change the approach of behaviour management within YOIs and STCs, placing an additional emphasis on the importance of staff using their existing relationships with children to de-escalate volatile incidents, and minimising the number of children who experience restraint. MMPR also includes a comprehensive system of national governance and oversight to not only monitor the use of restraint but also improve and promote safe practice across the estate.

MMPR is being implemented against a backdrop of a substantial fall in the number of children in custody, the decommissioning of beds across YOIs and STCs, and staffing shortages across the YOI estate. This has caused delay in the roll-out, now scheduled to be completed in July 2016. The reduction in numbers also means that YOIs and STCs now hold a more concentrated mix of children with more challenging behaviour and complex needs than in the past.

Nick Hardwick said:

“The combination of delay, resource pressures, a more complex population and concerns about overall performance mean that the new MMPR system is not yet being consistently implemented or achieving the intended outcomes. However, at this stage, I welcome the significant improvements MMPR has brought to the national oversight of restraint and the greater focus on communication and de-escalation as part of a wider approach to behaviour management”.

Inspectors also found that:

• while it is sometimes necessary to restrain children, as others have found, there is no such thing as ‘entirely safe’ restraint;
• effective relationships between staff and children were more difficult to establish in YOIs, which are larger than STCs and have lower staffing levels;
• all establishments had implemented behaviour management plans for children with more challenging behaviour, which was progress, but too many plans were of a poor standard;
• children with medical or other conditions that could be affected by MMPR could have restraint handling plans put in place and establishments could seek medical advice through an expert panel, but staff did not always adhere to these plans during a restraint;
• many children were unable to identify any difference between their experience of MMPR and previous behaviour management systems;
• children’s own experiences of de-escalation before and during restraint varied and the experience remained, for many, painful and distressing;
• the practice relating to restraining children on the floor, head holds, strip-searches under restraint and the use of pain-inducing techniques was concerning;
• pain-inducing techniques were used frequently in YOIs, although it should only be used as a last resort to prevent an immediate risk of serious physical harm;
• some establishments did not call health services staff to all incidents, and support for children after a restraint also required improvement;
• the introduction of dedicated MMPR coordinators to drive improvements in local practice, together with a comprehensive system of national governance and oversight was positive;
• poor local recording, inadequate quality assurance and inconsistent referrals undermined this improved oversight.

Nick Hardwick said:

“Improved restraint processes, although very necessary, cannot alone reduce their use or make them safer. That depends much more on the structure of the estate, the quality and training of staff, and the culture in the place. As our inspection reports on individual establishments repeatedly show, none of these are adequate to meet the needs of the children who are now in custody. The Justice Secretary has announced a review of the youth justice system and we hope this will create the opportunity to make the wider improvements to the juvenile custodial estate that are essential if MMPR is to achieve its full potential.

“Further progress is necessary both to ensure that past tragedies are not repeated and to give staff the tools to better manage the behaviour of some of our most troubled and challenging children on a day to day basis. MMPR has the potential to deliver those improvements but that potential is not yet realised.”

 

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. In March 2013, the House of Commons Justice Committee recommended in its report on youth justice that HM Chief Inspector of Prisons should report on the implementation of the new MMPR system.
4. Please contact Jane Parsons at HMI Prisons press office on 020 3681 2775 or 07880 787452 if you would like more information or to request an interview.