HC Deb 08 July 1975 vol 895 cc323-5
14. Mr. Arnold

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the latest indication of the amount of secure accommodation being made available for children in care.

Dr. Owen

In March this year there was a total of 193 secure places in the community home system and 25 in my Department's youth treatment centre at Brentwood. There are 586 additional places planned. Provisional approval is being given in the revised local authority capital programme for 1975–76 for 106 places in community home schemes. We shall start building 40 youth treatment centre places later this year. The decision to take powers in the Children Bill to give direct grants for secure accommodation should help local authorities for future years.

Mr. Arnold

Would the Minister care to comment upon the inability of the Stockport local authority to contain a young boy in the accommodation provided, which has now resulted in his being detained in a prison situation, and upon the situation which causes local magistrates to express alarm at the inadequate security afforded to protect the public from the rampages of a 13-year-old boy?

Dr. Owen

The hon. Gentleman is right to be concerned about the situation both as regards the particular case that he has mentioned and in general. We have had discussions on this matter in the past and I regret to tell the House that there are far too many children who are still having to be detained in prison awaiting placement. This is a complex and difficult problem. We need more provision, we need more secure accommodation and we need more people prepared to undertake this difficult work. We must recognise that although the age of these children leads one to describe them as children, their physical build and record of violence—this often applies to young adolescent girls—are considerable, which makes them extremely difficult to treat.

Mr. Kilroy-Silk

Is my hon. Friend aware, however, that many of the 4,000 children who are juveniles and in prison establishments are not in any sense violent, thugs or mischievous? Many of them are in such establishments as a result of relatively trivial offences. Will my hon. Friend assure the House that the children who are in prison as a result of resources not being available from his Department will be sprung very soon by his Department providing more resources than in the past for the building of community homes?

Dr. Owen

Unfortunately we are entering a period of restrained resources. We have to take account of the priorities of local authorities, but we are taking direct grant powers in the hope of providing more secure accommodation. We recognise the burden that has to be undertaken in this situation. The Home Office and the Department are considering the matter jointly with a view to trying to make greater provision.