Vulnerable kids sent to Scotland over shortage of care spaces

By Robert Firth, Local Democracy Reporter

Vulnerable kids are being sent more than 450 miles away to Scotland due to a shortage of care places, a council has revealed.

At least three children from the capital were being looked after in secure care homes in Scotland as of September last year because of a lack of spaces in England, according to Lewisham council documents.

The council is planning to build a secure children’s home with Barnet council so that it can stop sending kids in need of specialist care so far away.

There are currently no secure children’s homes in London and the Department of Education has set aside more than £50m to fund the planned home, which would have room to look after up to 24 kids.

Lewisham council would contribute £20,000 per year to the new home, which is expected to open in either 2025 or 2026, though it is yet to be decided where in the country the home will be.

Council documents read: “Snapshot data taken at the end of each month, in the period between December 2021 and September 2022 shows that there is, on average, 12 of London’s children in a secure welfare placement at the end of each month – this includes three children each month who are living in a secure welfare provision in Scotland – over 450 miles away.

“Financial data provided by London local authorities shows that the average cost of a secure welfare placement has increased; the average being £7,000 per week in 2019, rising to £10,500 per week in 2022 and some local authorities have paid up to £25,000 per week for secure welfare placements in that period.”

Secure children’s homes are for kids aged between 10 and 17 who are a risk to themselves or others. They might be placed in such homes if they have a history of escaping from normal children’s homes or if they are awaiting sentencing or trial for a crime.

According to Lewisham council documents, the amount of money needed to launch a new secure home is too large for any single London council to set one up alone.

Lewisham council would oversee the running of the home until at least 2028 under the plans.

The council is expected to approve plans at a cabinet meeting tomorrow, to set-up a new company with Barnet to develop and run the children’s home.

Pictured top: Lewisham council’s headquarters in Catford (Picture: Google Street View)