The prison was given a full inspection in September/October 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 East Sutton Park is an open resettlement prison for adult women and young adult women near Maidstone, Kent, run by HM Prison and Probation Service, holding 97 prisoners against a certified normal accommodation of 98. Inspectors rated safety and respect both Good, unchanged from the previous inspection, purposeful activity Reasonably Good, a decline, and preparation for release Good, unchanged.
Access to release on temporary licence was excellent, with more than four in five women able to work, train or volunteer in the community, and around 60% of those who found work before release were still in it months later, the best resettlement employment outcome of any women’s prison. Only one self-harm incident had been recorded in the six months before the inspection, and relationships between staff and women were found to be respectful and supportive throughout.
Inspectors nonetheless raised two priority concerns: the prison lacked reliable data and evidence to demonstrate the quality of some of its core work, and progress on equality and diversity work had stalled. Further concerns included gaps in health assessments for new arrivals, inconsistent case note recording, and limited formal accreditation for some vocational training, despite the otherwise strong record on activity and resettlement.
Charlie Taylor
HM Chief Inspector of Prisons
January 2024
To read the full reports, go to the HM Inspectorate of Prisons website or follow the links below:
- Inspection report (PDF), Report on an unannounced inspection of HMP & YOI East Sutton Park by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons (25 September–5 October 2023, published 8 January 2024)