Under Article 37 of the UNCRC “…no child shall be deprived of his or her liberty unlawfully or arbitrarily. The arrest, detention or imprisonment of a child ….shall be used only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of time”. If this right is to be upheld, all professionals must understand the different legal routes into secure care, which are highlighted in this Information Sheet, written by Debbie Nolan. This should be supplemented with seeking legal advice on a case-by-case basis.
This Info Sheet is updated to reflect changes in legislation. Last update occurred in September 2021.