Comment on High Court judgement

ADCS President, Steve Crocker, said:

“This latest judgement from the President of the Family Court once again outlines the long standing challenges we face in accessing the right accommodation for a number of children and young people in our care, particularly where they present the most complex needs. We are seeing a growing gap between the complex and overlapping needs of children and young people in crisis or extreme distress, the range of services we have to draw on and the availability of these services; this includes children’s tier 4 mental health services as well as secure accommodation. We join the President of the Family Court in welcoming the ‘acceptance by the Secretary of State for Education that, nationally, there are significant problems with the availability of sufficient placements’ and that ‘this requires action by His Majesty’s Government collectively to support local authorities to meet their statutory needs’.

“Many local authorities report major difficulties in sourcing a secure children’s home placement and these challenges have been highlighted in multiple reports and court judgements in recent years. In these instances, local authorities have no other option but to create a highly bespoke placement in the community with intensive wrap around support, while suitable alternatives are sought, costing tens of thousands of pounds per week and requiring court authorisation. This is not a sustainable solution for children or local authorities.

“Meeting the needs of these vulnerable children and young people requires a strong multi-agency response but we also need action from government. ADCS hopes that the government’s response to independent review of children’s social care’s final report, which is expected imminently, will include meaningful solutions to the placement shortage crisis we are currently facing”

ENDS

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