HMYOI Wetherby

What we found

Progress at Wetherby, the largest young offender institution in the country, had been slow, and violence, disorder and self-harm had been rising. However, a new governor had begun to improve the regime for the boys held and much-needed refurbishment of residential units was underway. Oversight, including of strip-searching, had improved. More needed to be done to deliver better quality education and meaningful interactions with children, and to improve the regime for children separated from their peers. 

Points to note: Although there were no girls at Wetherby at the time of our visit, they could still be held at the YOI as a last resort, which made it challenging for leaders to plan effectively.