The new prison was originally for young men, but its use was changed to meet the growing need for secure female accommodation at the time.

The costs involved with the refurbishment and the new facilities provided at the prison led to the media branding Cookham Wood "Britain's most controversial jail".

[2] In 2007 the Prison Service announced that Cookham Wood would be converted to accept male young offenders.

The prison operates a resettlement programme for young people coming to the end of their sentences, and has links to community groups and employers.

In February 2014, the UK prison watchdog - the Independent Monitoring Boards - announced that they had serious concerns over the safety and decency for children at HMYOI Cookham Wood.