Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Bill: summary - easy read

Secure Care

Secure care is residential care for the purpose of depriving children of their liberty. Care, education and support are given to safeguard and promote the welfare of the children who stay there. It is an environment where children's rights are respected to make things better for them now and in the future.

There are lots of ways a child can be placed in secure care. This might involve the children's hearings system, police, criminal justice system or social work.

The Bill will mean that

• A child could be placed in secure care if they:
• Have gone missing before, and are likely to do so again and be at risk, or
• Are like to self-harm, or
• Are likely to cause physical or psychological harm to another person, unless kept in secure care.
• Children who are in secure care through the justice system might be able to stay to a maximum age of 19.