English Children Waiting Months for Available Homes

From the Guardian:

Campaigners have warned of a “national child protection emergency” in England with vulnerable and disturbed children languishing for months in unsuitable placements while social workers attempt to find them secure homes.

According to figures obtained from the Department for Education after a freedom of information request, the average time a child who has been deprived of their liberty for their own protection will spend waiting for a secure placement is currently 65 days. In the two years to 19 October, the longest time a child had to wait for a secure placement was 211 days.

The DfE said there were just 128 beds in 13 secure children’s homes in England available to local authorities, who hold the statutory duty to care for and protect children who have been assessed as needing this type of specialist home.

Read more here.