Scottish Government confirms £4m for secure care houses

The Scottish Government has announced £4m of funding to establish new secure care houses.

The funding will restore care capacity and better help children most in need of intensive support, the Government said.

It will support the creation of three four-bed secure houses as well as a four-bed “contingency resource”.

There are currently 82 contracted secure places provided by four independent charitable organisations in Scotland: Rossie, Good Shepherd Centre, Kibble and St Mary’s Kenmure.

Nearly one in five (18%) of these beds are currently unavailable, the Scottish Government said, due to factors including reduced capacity at St Mary’s Kenmure, the need for extra staffing for some children and an increase in the average stay for children sentenced and remanded to secure care.

The children’s minister said the cash would help improve care for those most in need of support.

Natalie Don-Innes said: “It is imperative that we continuously improve how we care for those children who have the greatest need of support.

“We also need to address the challenges currently facing the secure care system, and this funding will ensure that both these aims can be met.

“Scotland is rightly proud of our unique, welfare-based and focused approach to care and justice for children and young people.

“We want to build on that tradition and the current strengths of the system, while embracing a future vision for change as set out in the Reimagining Secure Care report.

“And with that change, it is important that we maintain a resolute focus in ensuring that children and young people’s needs and rights remain at the heart of this process.”