One of the country's best performing children's homes is to close. Gladstone House in Liverpool, which has 18 beds for boys aged from 10 to 17, will be shut down at the end of this month (CYP Now, 21-27 November 2007).
Five years ago, there were 31 secure children's homes in England and Wales. There are now only 19 and it seems this decline is set to continue. "The way it is going at the moment, the only trend I can see is downwards," says Roy Walker, deputy chair of the Secure Accommodation Network (SAN), which represents secure children's homes.
Secure children's homes are used to accommodate young offenders aged 10 to 13 and 14 to 17-year-olds who are assessed as vulnerable. They are regarded by charities such as the Howard League for Penal Reform as the only suitable form of custody for under-18s. Gladstone House is operated by Liverpool City Council and is funded via a contract with the Youth Justice Board (YJB).
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
