MPs welcome end of contract for STC that ‘failed’ duty to vulnerable children

Following the Government’s announcement that the contract with provider MTC to manage Rainsbrook Secure Training Centre has been ended early, Chair of the Justice Committee Sir Bob Neill MP has released the following statement:

“This is a welcome decision. The catalogue of failures in the running of Rainsbrook STC means it is unsurprising that these steps have been taken. In our report published in March, the Justice Committee called on the Government to consider taking the running of Rainsbrook STC back in house.

“Given the similar issues at Oakhill STC and the continued lack of impact of action plans to improve performance at either site, a rethink is needed. It is not acceptable to house vulnerable children in conditions that are unsafe, unclean and where support is inadequate – this is negligent. The priority must be ensuring the fundamentals and tinkering with the contract is not enough. This is a golden opportunity to press reset on the Secure Training Centre system and the Government must seize it. If not it will be children that suffer and that is unacceptable.”

The Justice Committee published a report into the secure school system in February 2021 as part of its inquiry into Children and Young People in Custody.

A follow up report in June 2021 highlighted serious concerns about the Government’s management of STC contracts following the decision to remove all children from Rainsbrook STC despite a catalogue of failings and shortly after extending the contract for two years.

Inspectors found poor practice was placing children and staff at risk of harm, as well as failing to give vulnerable children – some as young as 14 – adequate care and support.