Children accommodated in secure children's homes
Children accommodated in secure children's homes in England and Wales including approved places, availability, occupancy, sex, age, ethnicity, length of stay
- Published
Headline facts and figures
Number of approved places decreases
The number of places that were approved for use was 218, down 17 places on last year. Between 2015 and 2022 the figure remained fairly stable around 250 places, then was just over 230 places between 2023 and 2025 and has decreased further this year.
Number of children accommodated in secure children's homes decreases
The number of children accommodated in secure children's homes in 2026 decreased by 18% (31 children) compared to 2025. Between 2010 and 2023 there was an overall gradual decline in children accommodated in secure children's homes to 139 children in 2023, after rising slightly in the last two years, the number has fallen back to 139 in 2026.
Occupancy rate decreases
The occupancy rate decreased to 64% - down from 72% last year.
Children placed by the Youth Custody Service (YCS) decreases
63 children were placed by the Youth Custody Service (YCS), down by 20 children. Between 2012 and 2021 there was a longer-term trend of fewer children being placed in secure children's homes by the YCS. Since 2021 the number has remained fairly stable around 60 children (with the exception of last year when 83 were placed).
About these statistics
The data in this release is used to support monitoring and assessment of capacity within the secure children's homes estate. The data is reported for England and Wales and is collected directly from secure children's homes. The latest figures relate to 31 March 2026.
Given the cohort of children accommodated in secure children's homes is small, and these figures represent a snapshot of the position on 31 March each year, users should be cautious when interpreting year on year variations.
Secure children's homes
Secure children's homes provide a safe place where very vulnerable children and young people can receive the care, support and education they need. Beds within secure children's homes are either contracted to the Youth Custody Service (YCS) or are available to local authorities (LAs) for welfare or criminal justice placements, so children can be placed within these children's homes either by LAs or the YCS. The YCS place vulnerable children when they are remanded to custody by the courts or are serving a custodial sentence. LAs place children when no other type of placement can keep them safe as they are a significant risk to themselves or others.
There are currently two other types of secure accommodation - young offender institutions and secure training centres. There is also one secure school. Data on children placed in these settings are not included in this release but are published by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). (opens in new tab)
Places contracted to the Ministry of Justice (MoJ)
From September 2017, the overall responsibility for commissioning of youth custody transferred to the MoJ from the Youth Justice Board. At the same time the YCS took over responsibility for individual placements of children and young people into youth custody and day-to-day management of youth custody. Some places within secure children's homes are contracted out for use to the MoJ and children are placed in them by the YCS.
Places approved and available
There are currently 14 secure children’s homes in England and Wales, with 218 approved places which is a decrease of 17 places on last year. Of these 218 approved places, 195 were available for use.
The availability of approved places was 89%, broadly similar to the levels seen since 2017, but was down very slightly from 90% last year.
Not all approved places are always available for use, for example homes may temporarily close to make improvements, a bed may be out of use due to damage or refurbishment or if staffing ratios mean a reduced number of places can be filled.
The number of approved places contracted to the MoJ steadily declined from 191 places in 2010 to 106 in 2019 and remained at a similar level until 2025. This year the number of places have fallen by 9 - there were 93 places contracted to the MoJ in 2026.
The number of children placed by the YCS in secure homes decreased from 146 in 2012 down to 55 in 2021. Last year there were 83 YCS placements, however they have decreased this year to 63.
Figures published by His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) show the overall population of the youth secure estate has been declining. This is reflected in the secure children’s homes data for MoJ contracted places and YCS placements.
Children accommodated and occupancy rate
Within the 14 secure children’s homes, there were 139 children accommodated, down 18% since last year. Between 2010 and 2021 there was an overall gradual decline in children accommodated in secure children's homes, but since 2021 the number of children accommodated has fluctuated more - generally around 150 children each year, and decreasing to 139 this year (same as in 2023).
The occupancy rate was 64% - down from 72% last year. Note that a lower than 100% occupancy rate does not necessarily mean that there are available spaces within secure children's homes - availability of a suitable place may depend on if the place is contracted to the YCS. In addition, placements are complex, and each home will assess the resources required to support the individual needs of the children they accommodate.
Occupancy rates
These are based on the number of children accommodated in relation to the number of places for which the home has approval to operate with.
Children and young people placed within secure children's homes may be placed as:
- Children detained or sentenced and placed by the YCS include children detained for, or convicted of, a serious offence under the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000 or the Criminal Justice Act 2003; or subject to a Supervision Order with a residence requirement or a Detention and Training Order under the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000.
- Children placed by the local authority in a criminal justice context include children remanded by a court under section 102 (Remand to youth detention accommodation) of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012; or accommodated pursuant to section 38 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.
- Children placed by the local authority on welfare grounds include children who are placed into the homes by their local authority under section 25 of the Children Act 1989 for the protection of themselves and/or others.
On 31 March 2026, 49% of the children accommodated in secure children's homes were placed on welfare grounds, 45% were detained or sentenced and placed by the YCS and 6% were placed by the LA in a criminal justice context.
Children placed in secure homes on a welfare basis decreased to 68 (down by 12 children).
Children detained or sentenced and placed by the YCS decreased to 63 (down by 20 children). Placements by the YCS had previously varied between 50 and 60 children between 2021 and 2024 and are down from a series peak of 146 in 2012.
Children placed by the LA in a criminal justice context increased to 8 (up by 1 child),
However, it is common for these figures to fluctuate from year to year.
Characteristics of children accommodated
Note that due to the relatively small size of the cohort, users should be cautious interpreting year on year changes.
Sex
There are more males than females accommodated in secure children’s homes. The proportion of children accommodated who were male was 66% - a slight decrease from 69% last year. Males are over-represented in the secure children's homes population (66% compared to 51% in the overall child population - as shown in the ONS mid-year population estimates (opens in new tab)).
Age
Children aged 15, 16 or 17 years make up 71% of the children accommodated. The numbers in each age group are small and do fluctuate over time - children accommodated in 2026 were aged:
- 13 years old – 11 (8%)
- 14 years old - 22 (16%)
- 15 years old - 42 (30%)
- 16 years old - 36 (26%)
- 17 years old – 20 (14%)
- the remaining 6% were either aged under 13, or 18 years and over.
Ethnicity
Information on the ethnicity of children accommodated in secure homes has been reported since 2021.
Length of stay
68% of young people had been at the secure children’s home for 3 months or more, compared to 60% last year.
Contact us
If you have a specific enquiry about Children accommodated in secure children's homes statistics and data:
Children looked after statistics team
Email: cla.stats@education.gov.ukContact name: Stephanie Powell
Press office
If you have a media enquiry:
Telephone: 020 7783 8300
Public enquiries
If you have a general enquiry about the Department for Education (DfE) or education:
Phone: 0370 000 2288
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