Youth Justice System
Secure Children's Homes
Secure children's homes focus on attending to the physical, emotional and behavioural needs of the young people they accommodate. They are run by local authority social services departments, overseen by the Department of Health and the Department for Education and Skills.
Secure children's homes provide young people with support tailored to their individual needs. To achieve this, they have a high ratio of staff to young people and are generally small facilities, ranging in size from six to 40 beds.
Secure children's homes are generally used to accommodate young offenders aged 12 to 14, girls up to the age of 16, and 15 to 16-year-old boys who are assessed as vulnerable.
A secure children's home at a glance
Size of units
|
6–36 young people accommodated in small house units |
| Staffing |
High staff to young people ratio |
| Staff training |
Most staff are qualified to NVQ Level 3 or above in child care |