Staff shortages undermining stability at Warwickshire youth jail, say Ofsted
Staff shortages at a privately-run youth jail are undermining its stability, watchdogs have warned.
Inspectors criticised “poor and problematic” arrangements when the management of Rainsbrook secure training centre transferred earlier this year.
A report published by Ofsted concluded that the facility near Rugby in Warwickshire requires improvement for overall effectiveness.
Rainsbrook – one of three secure training centres in England and Wales – is designed to accommodate youngsters aged between 12 and 18, and held 55 individuals at the time of the inspection in October.
MTCnovo took over management of Rainsbrook from G4S in May.
The report said: “Despite opportunities for liaison and planning between the new provider, MTCnovo, and the previous provider, G4S Care and Justice Services Limited, transfer arrangements were poor and problematic.
“Of greatest significance, the inherited staffing arrangements led to too few staff transferring to the new provider in order to ensure continuity of care for the young people within the centre.
“This legacy of staff shortage continues to undermine the stability of the centre as it is almost a daily challenge to ensure minimum staffing levels are met.”
A number of detainees who spoke to inspectors expressed concerns that there were not enough staff on the units.
Inspectors found that the new providers have responded with “speed and purpose” to recruit more personnel as a priority, and despite the staffing difficulties the vast majority of young people reported feeling safe.
Reported levels of violence at the centre remain high, the report said, with assaults against young people and staff a “regular occurrence”.
Over the previous six months there had been an average of 28 assaults and two fights each month.
While most of the incidents of violence were “relatively minor”, 14 young people and six staff sustained injuries requiring medical treatment and one young person required hospital treatment following fights and assaults.
Colin Allars, chief executive of the Youth Justice Board, said: “We have been and will continue to work with MTCnovo on all of the issues of concern identified within this inspection report.
“The report acknowledges the challenges faced by MTCnovo and that improvement is being made but that there is much more still to be done to ensure that required standards are consistently met.”
Rich Gansheimer, chief executive of MTCnovo, said: “The report recognises that we have a strong vision and operating framework for the Centre and highlights many positive examples of good practise such as the vast majority of young people report that they feel safe at Rainsbrook.
“Ofsted recognise we are part way through transforming Rainsbrook and the challenges that entails. We recognise there is more to do and we look forward to implementing Ofsted’s recommendations in full over the coming months.”
Peter Neden, Regional President for G4S in the UK and Ireland, said: “The transfer of any centre like Rainsbrook is complex and preparations need to be laid out far in advance of the change-of-control date, particularly in terms of recruitment and retention of the staff team.
“We received this report today and we will be reviewing it carefully to see what improvements we can take forward at Oakhill Secure Training Centre near Milton Keynes.”
Copyright (c) Press Association Ltd. 2016, All Rights Reserved. Picture (c) Rui Vieira / PA Wire.
