Vulnerable children in England waiting months for secure homes

Children languishing in unsuitable settings owing to severe shortage of secure placements

Campaigners have warned of a national child protection emergency" in England with vulnerable and disturbed children languishing for months in unsuitable placements while social workers attempt to find them secure homes.

According to figures obtained from the Department for Education after a freedom of information request, the average time a child who has been deprived of their liberty for their own protection will spend waiting for a secure placement is currently 65 days. In the two years to 19 October, the longest time a child had to wait for a secure placement was 211 days.