Statistics Publication Notice: Health and Care Series: Children's Social Work Statistics 2009/10

BACKGROUND NOTES - SECURE CARE AND CLOSE SUPPORT CARE ACCOMMODATION

Method of Collection

Each Secure Unit is asked to complete a survey which collects aggregate information on the unit itself and individual level information of young people in dedicated secure care and close support accommodation units. Figures were collected at unit level on the number of places, emergency bed usage, staffing, and average cost per week per bed. Individual level information was collected on the characteristics of the young person, admissions and discharges. For those in secure care accommodation information was also collected on medical care. The survey period was the financial year, 1 ^st April 2009 to 31 ^st March 2010.

Information on emergency secure beds was collected for the first time in 2009-10. An emergency bed is a bed that can be used at short notice, for example when a young person is admitted during the night. A number of secure units operate such beds (but not all), as it is less disruptive for the other young people within the unit. The young person is usually admitted to the main facility the following day.

Information on young people accommodated in dedicated close support units was also collected for the first time in 2009-10. These figures cover close support units only, and do not include information on young people who were provided with close support care services but who were not accommodated in a dedicated close support unit bed. Not all units have close support units.

Methodology notes

The average number of young people in secure care accommodation over the year is calculated using the dates of admission and discharge for every child.

In 2009-10 Centres were asked to provide full date of birth of young people admitted. This is a change to the methodology used in previous years, where the young person's date of birth had been set to the 15 ^th day of the month, so that on average young people's ages at admission will be correct. Ages on admission, discharge during 2009-10 and age at 31 ^st March 2010 are the actual ages for all young people.

We collect information on ethnicity of young people in secure and close support accommodation, but are unable to publish this due to some small numbers and data confidentiality issues.

Disability categories were based on ISD Health and Social Care Data Dictionary codes when the survey form was finalised in December 2007. Information was collected on types of disability for young people in close support units during 2009-10, but we are unable to publish a detailed breakdown of disability type due to small numbers and data confidentiality issues.

General points

Since April 2009, as a result of the recommendation in the Securing Our Future Report ( http://www.sircc.org.uk/publications/documents/sofi), 12 secure care beds were mothballed (6 at St Philip's and 6 at St Mary's) reducing capacity across the estate to 106 secure care beds. The mothballed beds provided flexibility and in line with an agreed protocol could be used when capacity across the secure estate was full.

September 2008 marked the start of a programme of immunisation against the Human Papillomavirus ( HPV) for girls. The immunisation consists of a course of three vaccinations administered on separate occasions. Vaccination is not compulsory. Further information can be found on HPV immunisations at http://www.immunisation.nhs.uk/Vaccines/HPV/Having_the_vaccination.

Revisions to previously published figures

Revisions have been made to 2008-09 data. These changes did not affect the published figures for staff but did affect the published figures for admissions, discharges and snapshot figures of young people in secure care units. St Philips revised the discharge date of one young person. The Elms provided information on one young person admitted to secure care during 2008-09 but previously missing from the data.

Resources

England & Wales: The latest national statistics on Children Accommodated in Secure Children's Homes produced by the Department for Education were released on 7th July 2010 according to the arrangements approved by the UK Statistics Authority. These are available at:
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000945/index.shtml

Northern Ireland: Information on secure accommodation in Northern Ireland can be found at: http://www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/statistics_and_research-cib_other_childrens

Information on other children's social work statistics can be found at: www.scotland.gov.uk/childrenstats.