Stoke Heath improved, says report

Shropshire's young offenders institution has made "massive improvements" following a damning report 18 months ago which criticised the care of young offenders.

The latest report by the Chief Inspector of Prisons into Stoke Heath Young Offenders Institution, near Market Drayton, found the offenders now had better access to telephones, visits and showers, and were treated respectfully and decently by staff.

However, it identified areas still in need of improvement, claiming the procedure for new arrivals saw them stripped, searched and locked up in "grubby" and "uncomfortable" holding cells for too long.

The report, published today, comes 18 months after the last report, which criticised the institute in a number of areas.

Overall, today's report says the site is performing "reasonably well" against all criteria, which includes keeping young people safe, treating them with decency, providing activity and resettlement into life outside prison.

Teresa Clarke, governor at Stoke Heath, said the institution had expanded its education provision so youths had more constructive things to do and relationships between staff and offenders had improved.