People under 18 who are sentenced to custody aren’t sent to adult prisons, but to secure centres for young people.

Why young people are sent to custody

A court can give a young person a custodial sentence if:

• the crime is so serious there is no other suitable option
• the young person has committed crimes before
• the judge or magistrate thinks the young person is a risk to the public

A young person can also be sent to custody on remand.

The Youth Justice Board decides which secure centre a young person will be sent to.

They will choose somewhere that:

• can deal with the young person’s needs safely (eg if they have a health problem)
• is suitable for their age, sex and background
• is as near to their home as possible

Interview and assessment

The young person is interviewed by the reception officer as soon as they arrive.

The reception officer uses this interview to make sure the young person is properly looked after - eg if they need any health care.

Search

The young person will have some of their belongings taken away, like their money and phone.

They will also be searched to make sure they don’t have things on them like drugs.

Personal officer

Within the first few days, the young person will meet their personal officer. This person is in charge of the young person’s well-being for as long as they are in the secure centre.

Find out more about the support that’s available for a young person in custody.

Time in custody is spent:

• in lessons
• learning skills to get a job or to return to education
• taking part in programmes to improve behaviour
• participating in sport, fitness, and other activities

There are strict rules about what young people can and can’t do, and they may have to go through alcohol or drug counselling.

Types of secure centre

There are 3 types of custody for young people:

• young offender institutions
• secure training centres
• secure children's homes

Young offender institutions:

• are run by the Prison Service and private companies
• are for people aged 15 to 21 (people under 18 are held in different buildings)
• house between 60 to 400 people, split into ‘wings’ of 30 to 60 people

Secure training centres:

• are run by private companies
• are for people aged up to 17
• house between 50 and 80, split into units of 5 to 8 people
• give 30 hours of education and training a week, following a school day timetable

Secure children’s homes:

• run by local councils
• are for people aged 10 to 14
• house between 8 and 40 people
• give 30 hours of education and training a week, following a school day timetable

Plan your visit

You must arrange your visit first. Contact the secure centre to find out what you need to do.

Who can visit

Family members and friends can ask to visit. If you’re under 18 you have to be accompanied by an adult.

People whose job it is to support the young person, like a social worker or legal adviser, can visit them at any time

When you can visit

Each centre will have specific times for visiting. They will tell you when these are, and you won’t be allowed to visit outside of these times.

How often you can visit

Usually, you can visit a young person once a week if you are a family member or friend, but this can vary.

How many people can visit

Generally, 3 people are allowed at one time. If you want to bring more people, you will need to get permission first.

Getting help with travel costs

Family members can sometimes get help with the costs of visiting, like train tickets or petrol.

There are different rules for claiming money back depending on where you visit.

Travel claims for visiting a young offender institution (YOI)

Call the Prison Service on: 0845 300 1423 (Monday to Friday, 10:15am to 11:45am and 2:15pm to 3:45pm). Find out about call charges

Travel claims for visiting a secure children's home

You should contact the young person's youth offending team to claim for a visit to a secure children's home.

The document ‘AVS1 - Assisted visits scheme information for relatives’ will give you information on this. You need to complete form AVS2.

Travel claims for visiting a secure training centre (STC)

Call the STC you're visiting on the numbers below. Ask for the Youth Justice Board monitor, who will be able to tell you how to make a claim and what it covers.

• Oakhill: 01908 866 021
• Hassockfield: 01207 565 619
• Rainsbrook: 01788 528 806
• Medway: 01634 823 305

Find out about call charges.

If you have young children, you could get help with registered childminder costs.

You may also get help with booking a train ticket before you travel.

Download 'STC Assisted Visits Scheme claim form' (PDF, 117KB)

Download 'STC Assisted Visits Scheme ticket request form' (PDF, 97KB)

If the young person is on remand

Contact the young person’s youth offending team, who can organise a visit.

For advice or support, a young person can speak to a member of staff, like:

• their personal officer
• a chaplain, social worker or teacher
• a doctor, nurse or other health worker

The personal officer is the person in charge of the young person’s well-being.

Chaplains provide support to everyone, whatever their faith. A young person can ask to speak to a chaplain of their own faith if they want.

Support from the youth offending team

Someone from the local youth offending team will continue to stay in contact with the young person when they are in custody. The young person can get in touch with them whenever they need.

Friends and family

A young person will be able to contact their family regularly, and can arrange for them to visit.

Advocacy services

Young people can also speak to someone from an advocacy service.

Advocacy services are run by children's charities and are confidential.

A young person in custody can ask an advocacy service for help if they:

• feel they can't speak for themselves
• don't understand something
• can't make themselves understood

How to get in touch

People from an advocacy service regularly visit secure centres so young people can meet them. Young people can also telephone them.

Barnardo’s
Telephone: 0808 168 2694
Find out about call charges

This number is for young people in young offender institutions (YOIs) or secure training centres (STCs). The phone number is different for young people in a secure children's home - they need to ask a member of staff for the number.

Other people to call

Young people and their families can also contact other organisations for help.

For under 18 year olds in custody, the Howard League might be able to offer legal advice and help with their case.

The Howard League
Telephone: 0808 801 0308
www.howardleague.org

The Prison Reform Trust and Nacro offer advice and support to young people and their families, but cannot give legal advice.

The Prison Reform Trust
Telephone: 0808 802 0060
www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk

Nacro
Telephone: 0800 0181 259
www.nacro.org.uk

Find out about call charges.