Secure futures? A mixed methods study on opportunities for helping young people referred to secure children's homes for welfare reasons

Williams, Annie ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4737-219X, Bayfield, Hannah ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9589-5120, Elliott, Martin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8062-6913, Lyttleton-Smith, Jennifer, Young, Honor ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0664-4002, Evans, Rhiannon ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0239-6331 and Long, Sara ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1284-9645 2024. Secure futures? A mixed methods study on opportunities for helping young people referred to secure children's homes for welfare reasons. Journal of Children's Services 19 (1) , pp. 38-53. 10.1108/JCS-06-2022-0019

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Abstract

Purpose Using a mixed methodology comprising interviews, case file analysis and descriptive statistics, this study aims to examine the experiences of all 43 young people in Wales subject to secure accommodation orders between 1st April 2016 and 31st March 2018. Design/methodology/approach Children in the UK aged 10–17 years who are deemed to be at a significant level of risk to themselves or others may be subject to a secure accommodation order, leading to time spent in a secure children’s home (SCH) on welfare grounds. Following a rise in the number of children in Wales referred to SCHs for welfare reasons, this paper describes these young people’s journeys into, through and out of SCHs, giving insight into their experiences and highlighting areas for policy and practice improvements. Findings Findings indicate that improvements in mental health support and placement availability are key in improving the experiences of this particularly vulnerable group of young people throughout their childhood. Practical implications Other practical implications of the study’s findings, such as improvements in secure transport arrangements, are also discussed. Originality/value While the findings are limited by the reliance on self-report methods and the size of the study, namely, the small number of young people with experience of SCHs who were able to participate, the findings build on the existing knowledge base around children’s residential accommodation and provide new insights into how best to support these children.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Social Sciences (Includes Criminology and Education) Development and Evaluation of Complex Interventions for Public Health Improvement (DECIPHer) Children’s Social Care Research and Development Centre (CASCADE)
Publisher:	Emerald
ISSN:	1746-6660
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	21 March 2024
Date of Acceptance:	8 November 2023
Last Modified:	12 Apr 2024 14:00
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/167420

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