The Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel has written to the Government to raise urgent concerns about the shortage of specialist placements for children with complex needs.

The Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel has written to the Government to raise urgent concerns about the shortage of specialist placements for children with complex needs.

The independent panel, which reviews serious safeguarding cases alongside the Department for Education, said the lack of provision was highlighted by a 2024 case review that exposed how limited the options are for autistic children and young people who also need intensive mental health support.

 

Shortage of Specialist Placements for Vulnerable Children

In a public statement, the panel warned that too many children with complex needs are at risk of being placed in unsuitable settings because of the lack of secure beds and therapeutic homes.

One area of concern is the growing reliance on deprivation of liberty orders. These orders, issued by the High Court, have become far more common in recent years because local authorities are struggling to access appropriate placements.

The warning followed a safeguarding review into the case of Issac, a 17-year-old who was arrested on suspicion of murder in February 2023.

 

Case Study Issac’s Story

Issac had been diagnosed with autism, ADHD and type 1 diabetes. His behaviour became increasingly challenging and in September 2022; after being arrested for assaulting his mother, he was accommodated under section 20 of the Children Act 1989.

Over the following months, Issac went through multiple placement breakdowns. Children’s homes and semi-independent settings were unable to manage both his health needs and his distressed behaviour. He also went missing several times, during which he committed further assaults including against police officers.

Although clinicians concluded he was not detainable under the Mental Health Act 1983, the review questioned this decision. It also warned that admission to a psychiatric ward might have been traumatic as Issac would likely have been exposed to violence from other patients.

The review suggested that a secure accommodation order might have been possible, but the shortage of secure beds across the country meant finding a placement would have been extremely difficult. It also found that most secure homes lack autism specific or therapeutic support.

Ultimately, what Issac needed was a specialist residential placement with intensive therapeutic care tailored to autistic young people, but such provision was not available.

 

National Safeguarding Risks

The Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel commented:

“The shortage of secure placements, beds, and therapeutic settings is a consistent concern. Too many children with complex needs are being placed in unregistered or inappropriate homes, while even specialist services are not always designed around the child.”

This lack of provision leaves children at significant risk and creates ongoing safeguarding challenges for councils and local partners across the UK.

 

Government Response and Reform

Addressing this shortage has been made a key part of the wider children’s social care reform programme. Earlier this year, the Government announced £53 million of funding to create 200 new placements for children at risk of deprivation of liberty.

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will also introduce a new registered placement type for children who may need restrictions at certain times, with flexibility to increase or reduce those restrictions depending on the child’s needs.

 

How HLTHGroup Supports Providers

To help meet these urgent needs, HLTH Group supports new and existed children’s services in building strong, safe foundations from the very start of registration and beyond. We help you establish regulated placements efficiently and compliantly, while putting in place the governance, risk assurance, and quality frameworks needed to keep children safe long term.

Our ongoing support includes Regulation 44 visits, policy updates, staff training, and board-level assurance to ensure services remain resilient and inspection-ready. With HLTH Group, providers can open specialist placements with confidence and sustain them with the right safeguards, oversight, and continuous improvement.