Government will no longer place girls in Young Offender Institutions

The government says it will end the practice of placing girls in young offender institutions following recommendations from an independent review into the placement and care of girls in youth custody.

The review, led by Susannah Hancock and published this week, highlights the complex mental and physical health issues these girls often face, with self-harm at a concerning level.

It comes as recent figures show girls are involved in more than half the self-harm incidents across the youth estate in England and Wales, despite accounting for less than two percent of the children in custody.

Ministers say the intervention will ensure girls are always placed in settings more suited to their needs such as Secure Schools or Secure Children’s Homes.

“Girls in custody are often victims themselves with complex mental health and emotional needs,” Minister for Youth Justice Sir Nic Dakin said.

“Ending their placement in YOIs for good is a first step in drastically improving the support they receive to turn their lives around.”

Susannah Hancock was appointed by the government in November 2024 to conduct an independent review into the placement of girls in the children and young people’s secure estate.

The review found that despite tireless efforts of staff involved in their care, YOIs cannot offer the therapeutic, trauma-informed support these girls need.

The report acknowledges the scope of the challenge at hand, and the department will now consider the full range of its recommendations and develop a long-term action plan in response.

Susannah Hancock said she was pleased that the government has acted swiftly in accepting the first recommendation in her review and that girls will no longer be placed in YOIs.

“This is an important step forward towards ensuring that all girls in custody receive appropriate levels of support, care and therapeutic interventions to address their physical, mental health and emotional needs.

“I look forward to hearing the government’s response to the wider review recommendations and to seeing professionals come together to help make positive changes for these girls.”

Stephanie Roberts-Bibby, Chief Executive of the Youth Justice Board, welcomed the recommendations.

“It is our position, informed by the evidence, that girls should only be placed in secure settings in exceptional circumstances, and when this happens, they should be held in places that are designed to meet their needs. Children in the youth justice system are overwhelmingly boys, and as a result girls’ needs and vulnerabilities can be overlooked, resulting in them encountering poorer experiences and outcomes.”

The Youth Custody Service can place girls in different settings across the youth custody estate, including secure children’s homes, the new secure school and Oakhill Secure Training Centre. Girls were previously placed at HMYOI Wetherby following the closure of Rainsbrook Secure Training Centre, but today’s decision removes this placement option permanently.