27th May 2025
The Howard League for Penal Reform has found further evidence that the conditions in the custodial estate are inadequate for children. Children in prison in England are being kept in their cells for an average of around 20 hours a day and receiving less than 15 hours of education a week.
The Howard League | Revealed: The prisons keeping children locked in their cells for hours on end
Details
It is a legal requirement that prisons deliver at least 15 hours of education per week to children of statutory school age, with the expectation that additional hours are available and can be provided.
However, the Howard League asked the three prisons that hold children in the UK – Feltham, Wetherby and Werrington - for a month-by-month breakdown of the average number of hours of education provided to children in each prison and found that “the monthly averages recorded in each prison indicate that the hours of education actually delivered fail to meet the standards expected”.
In relation to their education, the Howard League found that:
- During the 14-month period from January 2024 to February 2025, Wetherby prison rarely delivered more than 10 hours of education per week on average, let alone the mandated 15 hours;
- Education delivery in Feltham prison showed children receiving only 1.5 hours on average in August 2024 and 2.4 hours on average in September 2024 and from July 2024 onwards, the number of hours delivered per week on average never reached double figures; and
- Education delivery in Werrington prison at no time reached a monthly average above the 15 hours a week.
In relation to children being held in cells, the report paints a similarly bleak picture:
- There was not a single month when Werrington, Weatherby or Feltham got children out of their cells for more than five hours and five minutes per day on weekdays.
- On weekends, the situation was even worse, with children often averaging only around two hours a day out of their cell.
In contrast, the review found that HMP Parc - the one prison that holds children in Wales - showed that it typically provided double the hours of education given in the English jails and consistently above the 15 hours per week requirement. Children in Parc also spent more time out of their cell on average.
Commentary
This worrying review is the latest evidence suggesting that the secure estate holding children in England is in crisis. The Howard league are correct to emphasise that “Children need fresh air, exercise, education and contact with others if they are to grow up to lead healthy lives”. Currently, children are being failed.
In February 2025, the Children’s Commissioner for England called for “a rehaul of the youth justice system, with a greater emphasis on rehabilitation over punishment, putting education at its core”. The Youth Justice Legal Centre adds to these calls for urgent action.
In the meantime, we aim to highlight the significance of these statistics to those practitioners in this area, so it can be considered during their practice and will hopefully aid individuals in making appropriate representations on behalf of their young clients.