MultifunC, Scandinavia: International Focus

Supporting adolescents with severe behavioural problems can be challenging. A young person’s behaviour may have resulted in a breakdown in family relationships, disruption to education and participation in criminal activity. Community-based interventions delivered by educational psychology, youth offending services and social work may not be effective due to the severity of the behaviour. In such instances, a young person can often end up in custody, whereas a secure residential care placement would be a better option for stabilising their behaviour in the short term and reducing their risk of reoffending in the long-term. However, finding a suitable secure care setting can be difficult. Then there is the issue of what happens once the young person leaves a placement – too often they are expected to slot back into life, when a gradual reintroduction to the community or home is needed.