Last week judges rejected an application for a judicial review of alocal authority's decision to house a homeless 17-year-old girl underhousing law, rather than child welfare legislation.
The Howard League for Penal Reform argued that the London Borough ofHammersmith & Fulham should have identified the girl as a child in needunder the Children Act 1989. This would have entitled her to leavingcare support from social services. The girl had a troubled backgroundand had spent time in a young offender institution. The league says ithas evidence of many vulnerable young children leaving custody and beingneglected by local authorities.
But Lord Justice Wall agreed with the council, which argued it would be"absurd" if a housing department had to turn away a homeless 17-year-oldwho had never been in care or looked-after by a local authority on thegrounds that social services had a duty to house her.
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