Report into mistreatment at Medway results in enhanced monitoring at STCs (13 May 2016)

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has published the findings of the Medway Improvement Board, as well as its response to the report’s recommendations.

The Board was set up by Secretary of State Michael Gove to look into the running of Medway Secure Training Centre (STC), after an undercover investigation by the BBC Panorama programme revealed in January that staff at the centre were mistreating children in their care.

On Thursday (12/05/16), Mr Gove said:

“I am today publishing the Board’s report, which tells a powerful story – not just about what went wrong at Medway, but about broader problems in the Youth Justice System (YJS) and specifically in the children’s secure estate.

“The Board’s conclusions reinforce the interim findings from the separate, wider review that I have asked Charlie Taylor to prepare on the Youth Justice System, which will report this summer.”

Mr Gove said that, as a result of the report and the pending Charlie Taylor review – as well as the announcement in February 2016 by G4S of its intention to sell its Children’s Services business – the Moj had agreed with G4S that the new contract to operate Medway would not go ahead.

He announced that the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) would take over the running of Medway in the short term by the end of July – and would work closely with the Youth Justice Board (YJB) on the enhanced monitoring arrangements that would be put in place.

Mr Gove added that Beverley Bevan – a prison governor with seven years’ experience of working with young offenders – would be appointed as the Governor of Medway STC at that time.

Chair of the Youth Justice Board, Lord McNally, responded to the findings of the Medway Improvement Board:

“The Panorama programme triggered an immediate review by the YJB into why neither we nor others had identified the totally unacceptable behaviour by staff at Medway STC.

“As a matter of urgency, we enhanced our existing monitoring – we have now developed a more wide-ranging, robust and diverse system of monitoring for all STCs.

“This will deliver the greater scrutiny that is essential to protect children in custody – in this context, we welcome the addition of STC governing bodies to support this work.

“We already actively advise ministers of our concerns about the secure estate and will continue to do so. We welcome the short-term targeted input the new youth custody improvement board can provide, to help make improvements for children in custody.”

Lord McNally added that the YJB “feels very strongly” that the custodial system for children and young people should be provided by highly skilled and specialist staff, operating in smaller units across the regions.

“For that reason, we have supported the direction outlined in the interim report on the future of youth justice services by Charlie Taylor, published earlier this year,” he added.

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