Boy in elderly people’s home

Calderdale social services department sent a young offender to
an elderly people’s home for two days last week because it could
not find a secure place.

The local authority said sending the 14-year-old boy to
Claremount House in Halifax, West Yorkshire, was a short-term
measure taken in exceptional circumstances.

The boy, who cannot be named, was awaiting trial after
previously breaking bail conditions by absconding from a children’s
home.

After the boy was remanded to Calderdale’s care, a ‘special
package of care’ was set up for him because of the drastic shortage
of secure accommodation places anywhere in the country, said Andy
Metcalfe, social services chairperson.

The boy was placed in a staff flat, rather than in the home,
with constant supervision from a social worker, and at ‘no time was
he in contact with residents’, Metcalfe insisted.

‘I was happy that it was in the best interests of the young
person and didn’t pose a danger or threat to other residents,’ he
added.

The boy has now been moved to a staff flat within the grounds of
a children’s home.