England’s children’s commissioner calls for closure of young offender institutions

Dame Rachel de Souza says hundreds of children are being locked up unnecessarily due to failing services

Custody is being used as a waiting room" for hundreds of children who are being unnecessarily locked up while awaiting trial or sentencing due to failing services, the children's commissioner for England has warned.

Dame Rachel de Souza said many children were being placed in custody not because they posed the greatest risk, but because the systems designed to support them were failing. She called for the closure of all young offender institutions (YOIs) in England.