HMYOI Feltham A

What we found

Conditions at Feltham A, a young offender institution in London, had deteriorated significantly since its last inspection, and was characterised by rising self-harm and very high levels of violence. Incidents of disorder had tripled since the last inspection and the use of force, usually in response to violence, had risen by 68%. The situation was so volatile that some children said they did not want their families to visit in case violence broke out in front of them.

In the summer of 2023, things had got particularly bad, with a dramatic increase in the number of assaults and a serious incident in the education block that led to its closure from 22 August until early September. Inspectors found ongoing concerns about children’s access to education, with the use of 266 keep-apart instructions. This meant that, rather than being placed in lessons with children who had similar abilities and interests, boys were allocated to classes based on whom they could mix without fighting.

Another major concern was the worryingly prolonged segregation of some children from their peers. Seven children had been separated for more than 50 days, two of them for more than 100.