Description
What the YCS does
Established in September 2017 as a distinct part of HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS), the Youth Custody Service (YCS) is responsible for the Children and Young People Secure Estate, for children and young people between 10-17 in England and Wales. This includes:
• the commissioning and management of outsourced youth custody services and sites;
• the operational running of public sector sites; and
• placing children and young people who are remanded or sentenced to custody.
The Children and Young People Secure Estate is currently made up of four Young Offender Institutions for boys aged 15-17, one Secure Training Centre, eight Secure Children’s Homes and one Secure School.
The YCS is dedicated to working with a wide range of central and local government partners and other agencies to improve the life chances for young people, bringing children’s voices into service design and to learning from the latest research and best practice.
Vision and priorities
HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) protects the public and prevents victims by changing lives. We work with our partners to carry out the sentences given by the courts, either in custody or the community and reduce reoffending by rehabilitating people in our care.
The ambitions of the YCS match those of the wider HMPPS, however, given the distinct and often complex needs of our young cohort, we interpret these principles specifically to the children and young people in our care. The YCS’ vision is: “Working together to make sure every child in our care is safe, supported and strives for a better future, to reduce reoffending and protect the public.”
The YCS aims to be a provider of high-quality children’s services, where skilled, enthusiastic staff have the tools and capability to work with children in order to meet their individual needs, so that they are better able to lead rewarding, constructive lives upon their release.
We want to ensure that children in custody are protected from being harmed and prevented from causing harm; that youth custody is an educational and supportive environment, helping to reduce risky behaviour and improve the life chances upon release.
The site at Oakhill Secure Training Centre
Oakhill is currently an 80-bed Secure Training Centre in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire accommodating girls and boys aged 12-17 (and 18 year olds in certain circumstances). Oakhill was established via a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contract that was set up to design, build, finance and operate the site. This contract will end in June 2029 and YCS is seeking replacement future services for children in custody at the site.
The services
The Ministry of Justice is committed to commissioning a diverse range of services to best meet the complex needs of children in custody. We welcome innovative and evidence-based proposals from potential providers, and we are open to a range of approaches and delivery models.
We are keen to hear from organisations of all sizes with specialist expertise in areas such as care, education, health, and rehabilitation, including those that may wish to deliver specific elements of the overall service offer or collaborate as part of a consortium, rather than acting as a prime contractor.
In line with the Ministry of Justice and HMPPS Third Sector Partnership Approach and the Government’s SME and VCSE commitments, we strongly welcome engagement from voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations, as well as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). We value collaboration and are keen to explore partnership models that bring specialist knowledge, innovation, and fresh perspectives into the secure estate.
Interested parties are requested to complete and submit this questionnaire by 09 January 2026 17:00 GMT
If you have any questions, please contact: oakhillproject@justice.gov.uk
The questionnaire can be located here: https://forms.office.com/e/eFpSiQKrqT.
Market Engagement Events
The YCS invites interested suppliers to attend two Market Engagement events in July 2026. These events will provide an opportunity to learn more about the future services required at Oakhill Secure Training Centre and to engage with the project team.
Event details
• Virtual event: Thursday 9th July 2026, 11:00am to 12:30pm, via Teams.
• In-person event: Monday 13th July 2026, at Oakhill STC. Time to be confirmed.
Registration
To register, please use the relevant link below:
• Thursday 9th July 2026 – Virtual event, via Teams: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/096b98e9-9ede-4659-a446-2ad80631742c@c6874728-71e6-41fe-a9e1-2e8c36776ad8
• Monday 13th July 2026 – In-person event at Oakhill STC: https://forms.office.com/e/rnaRDDmRK3
Please note due to site limitations there may be a requirement to limit numbers for the in-person event. Please register all members of your team and the Commercial Team will advise if all can attend, once full demand is established.
If you have any questions regarding the Market Engagement events please contact: MOJCommercialOakhillProcurement@justice.gov.uk