Our approach

In July 2022 we notified all local authorities and secure care providers of our plans to carry out a review to consider the impact of the Secure Care Pathway and Standards that were published in October 2020.  The review focuses on young people up to the age of 18 who have been placed – or are at risk of being placed – by Scottish local authorities, in secure care accommodation.

The review centres on listening to and understanding the experiences of 30 young people across Scotland before, during and after experiencing secure care accommodation.  We will report on their views, experiences, and consider the extent to which their rights have been respected. We will track the journeys of a sample of young people over a nine-month period which will help us to consider impact and outcomes over time. The annual inspections of registered secure care services will continue to be carried out and we will be working jointly with the inspectors of these services to inform the review, particularly in relation to the ‘during’ stage of young people’s journeys through secure care.

We will do the work between August 2022 and August 2023. We will publish a national report in Autumn 2023.

More information

Information about the secure care pathway and standards can be found here.

More information about the review can be found in the following links: