A vulnerable teenager in Manchester's care system is being moved to an unregulated home after living in hospital for three months. The family court heard on Wednesday (October 12) that Manchester council had spent that time trying to find a suitable home for the 13-year-old.
The youngster - who is at risk of suicide - had self-harmed, fled the ward and assaulted staff during her time in hospital, the Guardian reports. She also suffered a physical assault in hospital by a worker who was later dismissed.
Legislation states that children in the care system up to the age of 15 must be placed in regulated accommodation, which is registered with Ofsted. But having been unable to find somewhere suitable since she was medically fit for discharge in the summer, the council asked judge Mr Justice Poole to allow her to stay at an unregulated home.
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According to the Guardian, the judge considered that the placement was now the girl's 'only hope' of being discharged from hospital, while she had expressed a desire to move to a placement near her home. But the council had been unable to find a registered home for her - with 11 private providers also unable to offer her a home, fearing prosecution.
Paul Marshall, strategic director of children's services for Manchester council, told the Manchester Evening News : "As His Honour Judge Poole acknowledged, this 13-year-old girl's circumstances reflect a national shortage of provision for children with very complex needs and who require more specialist support and skilled staff. We are absolutely committed to meeting her needs, serving her best interests and all professionals involved agree that being in hospital is not in her best interests.
"Despite extensive efforts, including daily searches, we have not been able to identify a home registered with Ofsted for her. In the circumstances, and in consultation with key professionals involved, we believe this is the most suitable solution for her overall social and emotional development and wellbeing while we continue to search for a registered home."
In court, Manchester council claimed that 62 children in England needed a regulated home on October 10, but only two placements were available. The judge reportedly claimed a national lack of suitable homes for children with complex emotional and psychological needs was 'scandalous' - and that there was 'no end in sight' to the problem.
Following the case, Children's Commissioner Rachel de Souza said: "Increasing the provision of local homes for children in care which combine a loving environment with top-class education and healthcare is the most urgent issue in children’s social care. Our plan of action for children’s homes explains what needs to be done.
"No child should be left in a hospital or other institution because there is not a suitable, therapeutic home available. Treating children like this is unacceptable but is becoming worryingly common. We are currently helping several children in very similar circumstances."
Clare Bracey is director of policy and campaigns at Become, the national charity for children in care and young care leavers. She told the M.E.N.: “Mr Justice Poole called the national shortage of safe and suitable homes for children in care ‘scandalous’, and he is absolutely right.
"Yet while this case should be shocking, at Become we hear time and again of children in care being denied the right to a safe, loving, and supportive home that is close to their family, school, friends and community they know - the very basis of what all children deserve. The fact that recent legislation prevents English local authorities from placing children 15 and under in unregulated accommodation - and yet 'the only hope' for a 13-year-old girl with complex support needs is to be moved to an unregulated and unlawful home without the care she deserves - shows just how broken our care system is.
"We need this government to make vulnerable children in care a priority, to invest in them and their futures, and ensure there are enough of the right homes in the right places for all young people. These are our children, and we are continuing to let them down.”
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