Bishop of Bedford: Years of Effort brings welcome end to child detention at Yarl's Wood
The Bishop of Bedford, the Rt Revd Richard Inwood, was delighted to hear news of the ending of children’s detention at Yarl’s Wood detention centre, Bedfordshire, as a welcome act of compassion.
Both he and the Bishop of Dorchester, from the neighbouring Diocese of Oxford, have a watching brief over the detention centre and both have had continuing concern over the impact of detention on children’s lives.
Speaking after the Deputy Prime Minister’s announcement, The Bishop of Bedford said:
“In the Christmas season this is welcome news.
“Ending child detention has taken years’ of concerted effort from many people, including clergy and church members who have also worked to improve the lives of families and especially children while in detention. I pay tribute to all these efforts aimed at softening the brutality of the regime of detention on young lives.
“Often, staff in detention centres are perceived as the problem. However, many have been as concerned as others about the iniquities of child detention and have worked hard to make the conditions better than they might have been. The fact remains that detaining children can never be an acceptable policy: it only diminishes our humanity.”
Ends
