CHILDREN IN RESIDENTIAL ACCOMMODATION 1998-99
Statistics on children in residential accommodation in Scotland for the year
ended 31 March 1999 are published today.
This News Release updates the figures published in October 1999 in the News
Release Information on Children in Residential Accommodation in the Year
to 31st March 1998.
The main points are:
- There were 1,650 children in residential accommodation at 31 March 1999.
This is more than 500 lower than the number for ten years previously, a drop
of just under 25 per cent. Just over 80 children out of the total of 1,650
were in secure accommodation.
- At 31 March 1999, 65 per cent of the children in residential accommodation
were boys, and 68 per cent of the total were aged between 11 and 15 years
old.
- In the year to 31 March 1999, there were 8,800 admissions to residential
establishments. 54 per cent of these children were aged between 11 and 15
while just over a third were aged under 11 years old.
- There were 8,900 discharges from residential establishments in the year
to March 1999. In almost 80 per cent of these cases, the children had been
resident for less than one month, compared with 36 per cent ten years earlier.
- The average size of residential establishment for children in Scotland has
dropped from 18 places in 1989 to just over 10 places in 1999.
While the total number of places available in residential accommodation has
fallen by 30 per cent between 1989 and 1999, staff numbers have increased by
20 per cent over the same period.
TABLES
Table 1 - Homes, Places and Staffing, 1989,
1994, 1998 and 1999.
Table 2 - Residents at 31 March 1989, 1994,
1998 and 1999 by gender, age group and length of stay.
Table 3 - Admissions in the year to 31
March by age group and discharges in the year to 31 March by length of
stay 1989, 1994, 1998 and 1999.
Table 4 - Children in secure accommodation
1994, 1996, 1998 and 1999.
Table 5 - Local authority breakdown of
Homes, Places and Staffing, 1999.
BACKGROUND
The main purpose of residential care for children is to provide good quality
care, support and opportunities for development in a safe environment. It may
also provide education or specialist care. Residential care is an important
element in children’s services. For some children looked after away from
home, it will be the most appropriate option for meeting their particular needs.
There are various types of residential accommodation to which children and
young persons may be admitted. The main types of establishments are children’s
homes, residential schools, hostels and homes for children with disabilities.
There are also a few establishments which provide secure accommodation.
Children may be in a residential establishment under a voluntary care arrangement,
under a supervision requirement made by a children’s hearing, where a parental
responsibilities order had been obtained by the local authority or as a requirement
made by a Court. These placements will have been made under the Social Work
(Scotland) Act 1968 (placements prior to 1 April 1997) the Children (Scotland)
Act 1995 (placements from 1st April 1997) or the Criminal Procedure (Scotland)
Act 1995.
Data about children in residential accommodation in Scotland are collected
through a system of annual returns made to the Scottish Executive by individual
establishments. The system covers the local authority, private and voluntary
sectors.
Notes for news Editors
1. There is no bulletin publication for these figures. Supporting tables are,
however, available on request. This News Release and the supporting tables are
available on the Scottish Executive web site (www.scotland.gov.uk)
2. This is a National Statistics publication. National Statistics are
produced to high professional standards set out in the National Statistics Code
of Practice. They undergo regular quality assurance reviews to ensure that they
meet customer needs. They are produced free from any political interference.
3. Public enquiries (non-media) about the information contained in this News
Release should be addressed to Angus MacDonald, Scottish Executive Education
Department, Area 1-A, Victoria Quay, Edinburgh, EH6 6QQ. Telephone 0131 244
3551 or e-mail angus.macdonald @scotland.gov.uk.
4. Media enquiries about the information in this News Release should be addressed
to:Murray Meikle: 0131 244 3069
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