A type of secure accommodation that children may be placed in if they are in custody. Young offender institutions are for boys aged 15 – 17 and young adult men aged 18 – 21.
There are five young offender institutions (YOIs) in England & Wales:
- Cookham Wood
- Feltham
- Parc
- Werrington
- Wetherby
The Youth Custody Placement Service team decides where children who are remanded or sentenced to custody are placed. Boys aged 15 and over are usually sent to a young offender institution (YOI). Under 18s are held in separate units from 18 - 21 year olds. YOIs are governed by Young Offender Institution Rules. A child, their parent or guardian, their legal representative or the youth offending team can challenge a placement decision.1
- 1. Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service, GOV.UK. Guidance: Placing young people in custody: guide for youth justice practitioners. Published 2014, updated 2020.