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Teen mums

Teen mums behind bars - the truth!

Wednesday 08 February 2012

Closer visited the only mother and baby unit for teen offenders int he UK and found the reality for young mums behind bars is far from grim - and costs taxpayers £900 a day

Closer's Senior Features Writer Emily Retter says: 'When I pulled up at Rainsbrook Secure Training Centre – a 'prison' for 12-18 year olds which houses the only mother and baby unit for teen mums in the UK – I expected plain concrete, drab rooms and unnerving guards.

When I was ordered to hand over my bag, phone and keys and enter through a series of heavy locked doors, I wasn't surprised. What did surprise me was what lay behind them. All the kids at Rainsbrook – not just the mums and their babies – have their own rooms with ensuite. They all receive 'outstanding' Ofsted accredited education every day in facilities better than most schools can boast. And the young mums themselves – locked up for violent crimes – live a cosy life with their babies in colourful bedrooms which remain unlocked, with access to a comfortable living room and kitchen and daily care from Ofsted nursery nurses.

It's easy to be shocked by their seemingly 'cushy' lifestyle – but the centre's staff point out it's their responsibility to get these kids qualifications and teach them to be good parents, so they can re-enter the community and live useful lives without re-offending. The mother and baby unit may cost taxpayers £300 a day for each mum and baby who live there – but in the long run, keeping these girls on the straight and narrow could save the economy thousands.'

Read the full story in this week's issue of Closer magazine.

Readers CommentsReaders Comments

Posted by pwincessjane

RE: Teen mums behind bars - the truth!

Where is the incentive for all the good kids?

Posted 24/02/2012 23:30:25

Posted by pwincessjane

RE: Teen mums behind bars - the truth!

Where is the incentive for all the good kids?

Posted 24/02/2012 23:30:28

Posted by BettyS

RE: Teen mums behind bars - the truth!

The incentive for 'good kids' is that they will get their rewards in life for their hard work. What would you suggest we do with these young women? Separate them from their children and make them suffer too? Give them no education so they don't leave the place with any tools that may help them keep on the straight and narrow? Some people are so obsessed with the 'punishment' aspect of detention they forget the justice system's central point; to reduce crime and reoffending rates.

Posted 26/02/2012 18:22:00

Posted by pwincessjane

RE: Teen mums behind bars - the truth!

PC idiots are what is killing this country, do crime do time, a baby is not an excuse to get life handed to you. Look at the stats, they reoffend, they have more kids,they get more 'rewards' if i were a youngster again, no way would i be a 'good kid' much better off working the system. Its a way of life, a career choice, nice and easy,. Young dads don't receive the same?

Posted 26/02/2012 18:48:01

Posted by indi678678

RE: Teen mums behind bars - the truth!

I completely agree, I work full time and am applying for uni and college courses, off of which are going to land me in thousands of pounds worth of debt, these girls don't realise how luck they are and should be given a system in which they do community service or pay pack their debt to society in some way. I do agree that it's right to give their babies a good start in life though as it's really not their fault.

Posted 27/02/2012 17:13:43

Posted by indi678678

RE: Teen mums behind bars - the truth!

I completely agree, I work full time and am applying for uni and college courses, off of which are going to land me in thousands of pounds worth of debt, these girls don't realise how luck they are and should be given a system in which they do community service or pay pack their debt to society in some way. I do agree that it's right to give their babies a good start in life though as it's really not their fault.

Posted 27/02/2012 17:13:48

Posted by indi678678

RE: Teen mums behind bars - the truth!

I completely agree, I work full time and am applying for uni and college courses, off of which are going to land me in thousands of pounds worth of debt, these girls don't realise how luck they are and should be given a system in which they do community service or pay pack their debt to society in some way. I do agree that it's right to give their babies a good start in life though as it's really not their fault.

Posted 27/02/2012 17:13:50

Posted by MissSJ_

RE: Teen mums behind bars - the truth!

Are you lot for real? How can this be wrong? What good would it do to send these young girls back out into the real world without any skills or qualifications? They have committed crimes, and gone into a young offenders institute for rehabilitation, not punishment. Do you really think that they wouldn't rather be out free in the world rather than locked up, regardless of colourful playrooms and en suite bathrooms?
Their crimes don't necessarily mean they're bad parents. So what good would it do tearing these children away from their mothers to put them in foster care and be more than likely to have a bad start in lives themselves?
Let's use a bit of logic please, great British public. Sometimes tax payers money has to be used for things other than MPs wages.

Posted 10/07/2012 11:25:18



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