Independent Monitors hopeful that opportunities for improved support are coming at HMYOI Wetherby

In its annual report published today (21 January 2026) the Wetherby Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) writes of a ray of hope in an otherwise all too familiar read on the stark state of England’s Youth Offending Institutes. In collaboration with the Youth Custody Service (YCS), Wetherby YOI has developed its own three-year plan to hopefully improve the care and prospects of the young people held there. The plan aims to focus on critical areas such as safety, behaviour management support and education, with regular overview from the YCS.

The Board reports ongoing challenges, including:

• Many of the cohort of young people now held in custody continue to present with extremely challenging behaviour and are serving very long sentences. Improvised weapons remain an issue, with over 500 found between January and August 2025. Violent incidents are reducing but also remain a concern.
• The provision for those young people who are separated is unacceptable. The regime and environment are described as inhumane and radical change must urgently take place. The size of a young person’s room just reaches the minimum standard and they remain there, often for up to 23 hours a day with little to occupy them.
• The collapse of the education provider, Novus, had a significant impact on the education of young people, with attainment remaining unacceptably low.

However, the Board is pleased to report that:

• Wetherby’s leadership team drew up their own alternative educational provision, with which many of the young people have started to engage.
• The Governor and young people have worked hard to improve the state of repair and enhance the environment around the establishment. The Board commends them for this.
• Many officers and in particular the physical healthcare team should be commended for their prompt and skilled response to young people and staff who have been injured as a result of the frequent serious assaults.

Catherine Porter, Chair of Wetherby IMB, said:

“We have seen plans like this before, but this time, real change must take place. With fewer young people serving a custodial sentence, this is an opportunity that must be seized upon to improve the support towards rehabilitation these young people deserve to receive.”