The draft revised Mental Health Act 1983 code of practice states that young people should have appropriate facilities, staff with training in children's needs and a hospital routine that will allow their personal, social and educational development.
But the code of practice states that in exceptional cases, when no other accommodation can be found, children can be placed on adult wards. It says: "Discrete accommodation in an adult ward with facilities, security and staffing appropriate to the needs of the child might prove the most satisfactory solution."
In addition, one professional in every hospital that treats under-18s should specialise in child and adolescent mental health services.
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