Children are being "damaged" by imprisonment at the Government's largest immigration removal centre, the prisons watchdog said today.
Chief Inspector of Prisons Anne Owers said she found one autistic five-year-old girl had not eaten properly for four days when her inspection team arrived at the centre, near Bedford.
Staff were not equipped to deal with such specialist needs, she said, and when the case was pointed out, the girl and her family were released. Three other children had been detained just before sitting their GCSEs.
Education levels were "inadequate" and "depressing", the chief inspector said.
Yarl's Wood - which re-opened in 2003 after rioting inmates destroyed half of the building weeks after it was opened - holds up to 900 detainees, including failed asylum seekers and families.
Home Office Minister Tony McNulty said since the inspection, steps had been taken, including "improvements to educational provision at the centre, and plans for a dedicated social worker".
