Child charity's community call

NCH Scotland wants to see fewer secure units

A charity has called for more vulnerable children to be brought up in the community rather than in secure units.

NCH Scotland said a pilot community project has shown benefits for the children and reduced the risk of them getting into trouble.

The charity held up the example of the Community Alternative Placement Scheme (Caps) in Glasgow at the start of conference in the city.

Young people listen more to people with whom they have positive relationships with boundaries

Christopher Holmes, NCH Scotland

Experts attending the NCH-organised conference were due to discuss the best ways of helping children who show aggressive behaviour, abuse drugs and alcohol or commit crimes.

The conference was expected to be critical of Scottish Executive proposals to increase the number of places in secure units.

An executive-backed study of Caps found that out of 20 young people who took part, eight had a "good" overall outcome while seven had a "poor" experience - similar to the figures for children in secure units.

Christopher Holmes, NCH Scotland's director of children's services, said: "We need to develop other alternatives to secure care that can help suitable young people without having to keep them under lock and key.

"This is not a soft option. It is about robustly challenging young people about their behaviour but in the context of them still being developing young people who need also to be in caring relationships.

"To care for young people you have to have control but you don't have to reject them to tackle unacceptable behaviour.

"Young people listen more to people with whom they have positive relationships with boundaries."