Lord chancellor takes immediate action to move children from Rainsbrook

The Lord Chancellor, Robert Buckland, has today (16 June 2021) confirmed work is underway to move all children from the privately-run Rainsbrook Secure Training Centre amid serious ongoing concerns about safety and performance.

In January this year, a comprehensive action plan was issued to private provider MTC, which set out the vital and urgent measures necessary to ensure all young people at Rainsbrook were properly cared for.

Despite addressing the most urgent concerns around children’s time out of their room, issuing 2 improvement notices and introducing robust monitoring, the government does not believe that the action taken by the provider over the last 6 months has done enough to resolve wider long-standing issues. As a result, the Lord Chancellor has decided to move all children from Rainsbrook and explore alternative options for the site.

All young people at Rainsbrook will be placed in safe and secure centres across the estate.

The Lord Chancellor Robert Buckland said:

Six months ago, I demanded that MTC take immediate action to fix the very serious failings at Rainsbrook.

They have failed to deliver and I have been left with no choice but to ask that all children are moved elsewhere as soon as possible.

This move will help protect the public by ensuring often vulnerable children get the support they need to turn their lives around – ultimately resulting in fewer victims and safer streets.

As part of the decision to explore options on the future of Rainsbrook STC:

• negotiations are ongoing with provider MTC on the future of the contract
• options may include bringing the STC back under public sector control and repurposing the site for alternative use
• the Youth Custody Service will oversee the imminent transfer of the 33 children currently at Rainsbrook into other areas of the youth estate

Preliminary findings from a recent Ofsted investigation – which rated the STC ‘inadequate’ – have further bolstered the case for immediate, remedial action. The full report will be published shortly.