- The Sudden Removal of All Female Placements: In March 2025, following a rapid three-month ministerial review, the government abruptly decided that girls would no longer be held in YOIs. This brought a sudden end to a long era of operational uncertainty for Wetherby, which had historically been responsible for their care, forcing the prison to immediately re-purpose its entire estate for young males only.
- The Rapid Enactment of the Three-Year Roadmap: Following highly critical, challenging reports from HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP), the Youth Custody Service (YCS) immediately forced Wetherby to implement a “Roadmap”. This required staff to completely overhaul the prison’s culture at high speed—moving away from a traditional, punitive system of discipline and adjudications toward an entirely new child-centred, trauma-informed, and rewards-based care ethos.
- The Emergency Authorization of PAVA Spray: Compounding these cultural changes was the sudden announcement by the Secretary of State for Justice in April 2025 authorizing a 12-month trial of PAVA (synthetic pepper spray) in youth prisons. This required an immediate, intense period of staff training before it was officially deployed on the wings in August 2025.
Weapons and Staff Assaults Escalate
Despite a declining population, which dropped to 119 young males by August 2025, the severity of violence within the facility has escalated. More than a quarter of the population is currently remanded or sentenced for murder or manslaughter.
The report details a worrying shift in the types of weapons carried by youth. In 2025 alone, 502 improvised weapons were uncovered, with blunt objects being replaced by highly dangerous sharp tools made of plastic or metal. This culture of violence resulted in 32 recorded assaults on staff causing sick leave, with 12 officers requiring external emergency hospital treatment. Additionally, 27 in-cell fires were recorded during the reporting year.
Controversial PAVA Spray Trial Introduced
In a direct response to the safety crisis, the Secretary of State for Justice authorized a 12-month trial of PAVA (synthetic pepper spray) across all youth estates. Intended strictly for life-threatening situations, the rollout was delayed at Wetherby until August 2025 to allow for staff training.
Education Collapse Follows Leadership Exit
The IMB expressed “extreme disappointment” in Novus, the contracted learning provider, which is now under an Outstanding Issues Notice. In January 2025, the entire education leadership team exited in quick succession.
Combined with a severe teacher shortage—including having only one math teacher for the entire estate—and an unengaging curriculum, classroom behavior disintegrated. A total of 224 incidents were recorded where youth had to be returned to their wings due to poor behavior. Prison staff were forced to salvage the situation by creating makeshift alternative regimes, resulting in youth reporting they were receiving “too much gym”.
Solitary Confinement and Mental Health Strains
Living conditions on the Benbow care and separation unit were condemned by the Board as “not fit for purpose for years”. The 5.5m² rooms barely meet basic size requirements, and maintenance backlogs frequently leave up to 10 rooms out of order due to damage or mould. When the population on the wing exceeds 12, the daily routine is cancelled entirely, leaving vulnerable youth locked in their cells for up to 23 hours a day without televisions or distractions.
This isolation comes despite severe mental health needs within the prison. An astonishing 82 out of 97 youth present during the report’s writing were under the care of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). However, CAMHS reported that their therapeutic work is severely hindered by an “outdated physical infrastructure” and a total lack of private rooms, forcing clinicians to speak to youth through their cell doors. Self-harm also remains a critical concern, with 699 incidents recorded across 78 individuals.
‘Released at the Gate’ – Local Authorities Failing Care Leavers
The report highlights severe roadblocks in resettlement, particularly for youth transitioning to the adult estate or returning to the community. Youth moving to adult prisons faced a chaotic cycle of rejections and sudden cancellations, sometimes being sent to facilities on the other end of the country away from their families.
Furthermore, local authorities are failing to meet their statutory duties for care-experienced youth. Due to local government financial struggles, accommodation is frequently not secured until days—or hours—before a young person’s release. The IMB noted that local authorities seemingly expect vulnerable care leavers to “be released at the gate and make their own way in the world,” making it impossible to pre-arrange GP registrations, mental health referrals, or employment placements.
A Systemic Lack of Accountability
Compounding these operational struggles is a critical shortage within the IMB itself. Due to unacceptably slow vetting and appointment processes by the Ministry of Justice, Wetherby’s Board dropped from five members down to just three by the end of the year, far below the recommended complement of 15.
The Board concluded the report with a sharp note on official accountability. While the previous Minister for Youth Justice provided a full reply to their previous findings, the IMB received absolutely no response from the Youth Custody Service, the local authorities, or the Prison Governor.
