The prison was given a full inspection in June 2023, the full report can be read on the HM Inspectorate of Prisons website, just follow the links below. In their latest report the inspectors said:
HMP & YOI Askham Grange is an open prison for adult women near York, run by HM Prison and Probation Service. Inspectors rated it Good across all four healthy prison tests – safety, respect, purposeful activity and preparation for release – matching the ratings it achieved at its previous inspection in 2019, and confirming it as one of the more consistently strong-performing prisons in the country.
The report praised a genuine community ethos and excellent joint working with outside agencies. There had been no recorded violent incidents since 2019, and around three-quarters of the population were accessing release on temporary licence, mostly for paid work in the community, with nearly half also engaged in education or employment outside the prison. Facilities singled out for praise included Acorn House, used for family overnight stays, and a well-equipped mother-and-baby unit. Key-working was rated among the best inspectors had seen anywhere, trauma and bereavement support was strong, and staff morale benefited from an experienced, stable team. A reading-promotion scheme, placing books in new arrivals’ cells and running a “blind date with a book” initiative, was highlighted as notable positive practice.
Despite this strong overall picture, inspectors raised some concerns. Around a quarter of places stood empty even though more than 200 women held in closed prisons had been assessed as suitable for open conditions, which the report called a wasted opportunity. Survey results also showed a marked decline since 2019: more women reported feeling unsafe at some point, more reported verbal abuse from staff, and fewer felt they were treated with respect. Planning for release on temporary licence and home leave was criticised as overly prescriptive and required too far in advance, causing considerable anxiety among prisoners. Gaps in staffing for learning and skills limited education provision, and inspectors also found record-keeping around employment achievements and child-contact restrictions to be weak, along with insufficient monitoring of outcomes for different groups of prisoners.
Charlie Taylor
HM Chief Inspector of Prisons
September 2023
To read the full reports, go to the HM Inspectorate of Prisons website or follow the links below:
- Inspection report, HM Inspectorate of Prisons website, Report on an unannounced inspection of HMP & YOI Askham Grange by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons (19 June – 6 July 2023)
- Inspection report (PDF), full report of the 2023 inspection of HMP & YOI Askham Grange
- Action plan, HM Prison and Probation Service action plan in response to the 2023 inspection of HMP & YOI Askham Grange
- HMP & YOI Askham Grange, Report on an unannounced inspection of HMP & YOI Askham Grange (1–5 April 2019)
- HMP & YOI Askham Grange, Short follow-up inspection of HMP & YOI Askham Grange (30 May – 2 June 2011)
- HMP & YOI Askham Grange, Report on an unannounced inspection of HMP & YOI Askham Grange (29 September – 3 October 2008)