Better protections for children in custody

• Dedicated social workers to investigate abuse concerns

• Stronger staff vetting, improved training and new unit to oversee child protection

• Part of Government action to make sure horrors of historical abuse at Medomsley Detention Centre are not repeated

Children in youth custody settings will be better protected from abuse under major safeguarding reforms announced by the Government today (7 July). 

Set out by the Minister for Sentencing and Youth Justice Jake Richards, the new measures include stronger staff training, tougher vetting for anyone working directly with children and overhauled safeguarding processes to ensure all allegations of wrongdoing are investigated robustly and acted upon swiftly. 

Central to the reforms will be a requirement for every site in the youth estate to have access to a dedicated social worker with extensive child protection expertise. This means no serious concern can be ignored or handled only internally. It also gives each child a trusted, independent person they can turn to if something is wrong. 

Today’s intervention comes in direct response to an independent review into youth custody safeguarding arrangements published today by Isabelle Trowler, Chief Social Worker for Children and Families in England. The Government commissioned the review following a report into the horrific abuse that took place at Medomsley Detention Centre, Co. Durham, between 1961 and 1987.  

Ministers have now accepted all 34 of Ms Trowler’s recommendations in principle, with several already implemented to ensure children in custody receive the best possible protection and the systemic failures at Medomsley are never repeated. 

This action builds on the Government’s Youth Justice White Paper published in May, which seeks to provide earlier intervention, more targeted support and tackle the root causes of youth crime.  

Minister for Sentencing and Youth Justice, Jake Richards, said:     

The abuse that took place at Medomsley is a national scandal and it is right that the Government has apologised. While we cannot undo the pain suffered by victims, we can make sure nothing like it ever happens again. 

That is why we’re taking forward all 34 recommendations, including independent oversight of every abuse allegation, giving every child in custody access to a social worker, and strengthening staff vetting to keep children in custody safe. 

A system that fails to protect children in custody creates more victims, not fewer. These reforms are about breaking that cycle.

Isabelle Trowler, Chief Social Worker for Children and Families for England, said:     

Following on from the Ombudsman’s important report last year into the Medomsley Detention Centre, my review examined the safeguarding challenges that persist across the youth custodial estate. I make a number of recommendations which make clear the urgent action required to better protect some of our most vulnerable children. While there have been improvements in recent years, the evidence is unequivocal: more must be done to ensure every child in custody is safe, listened to and treated with dignity. It is now incumbent upon the Government and, in turn, HMPPS and local authority children’s services to make change happen. 

Meeting children currently in custody and hearing directly about their experiences has been both a privilege and a profound responsibility. This experience, and the stories children shared, will likely stay with me forever. We owe it to them, and to those who suffered in the past, to ensure that the findings of this review lead to meaningful and lasting change.

The courage and determination of the survivors of Medomsley in their pursuit of truth and justice was instrumental to this work. Without them, the vulnerability of today’s children in custody would not have been brought into sharp relief.

Adrian Usher, Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, said: 

My investigative report revealed the full scale and horror of what happened to thousands of victims at Medomsley Detention Centre. The abuse that took place there was a profound failure by those responsible for the care and protection of children and young people in custody. 

I welcome the Government’s commitment to implementing the recommendations from the Trowler Review and strengthening safeguarding across the youth estate. While nothing can undo the harm suffered by victims, these reforms are an important step towards ensuring lessons of the past are learned and that children in custody are better protected in the future.

Meanwhile, a new safeguarding board has been set up to monitor child protection across all youth custody sites, reporting directly to Ministers. All staff working with children in custody must now also complete mandatory safeguarding training, and enhanced criminal record checks will be renewed every three years.  

Recruitment processes have also been strengthened to better root out unsuitable candidates, with training for frontline staff being redesigned to better meet the needs of vulnerable children. 

Further action announced today includes: 

• Under the new system, a trusted adult, such as a family member, advocate or social worker, will be able to raise a complaint on a child’s behalf. 

• Welcome packs and information given to children on arrival will be redesigned so that children with reading difficulties or learning differences can understand their rights from day one. 

• The Government will take forward plans to give all children in custody the same formal protections as children in care. This will require new legislation, but in the meantime social workers will proactively check in with children and provide a safe, private space to raise any concerns. 

• A new National Practice Framework will set clear, consistent standards for how all staff working with children in custody should behave, train and develop in their careers. 

• A formal learning review process at the heart of how the Youth Custody Service approaches safeguarding, ensuring continuous improvement. 

• A review of policies, with a focus on those that do not account for the needs of children. 

The Government has apologised unreservedly to the men who suffered shocking and systematic abuse at Medomsley Detention Centre. 

The youth custodial estate today bears little resemblance to the one in which the abuse took place, with children no longer detained for less serious offences and the number of children in custody having fallen significantly in the last 20 years.  

However, the Government is determined that those who do require custody receive the best care and support they need to turn their lives around. 

Today’s announcement comes ahead of a Youth Custody Transformation Plan later this year, setting out the long-term vision for a safer system which rehabilitates children, reduces crime and protects communities. 

Notes to editors 

• The Trowler Review was commissioned by the Minister for Sentencing and Youth Justice and led by Isabelle Trowler, Chief Social Worker for Children and Families in England. 

• The review makes 34 recommendations for the Ministry of Justice, the Youth Custody Service, the Department for Education, and other government partners. All recommendations are being accepted in principle. 

• The youth custodial estate comprises Young Offender Institutions, Secure Training Centres, Secure Children’s Homes and the Secure School, Oasis Restore. As health, social care and education are devolved in Wales, the majority of the actions set out in the response relate to England. 

• The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman report into Medomsley Detention Centre was published in November 2025 and examined abuse that occurred at the centre between 1961 and 1987. 
• The review can be found on GOV.UK.