Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what criteria will be used when placing a child in a secure college over a secure children's home.

The Youth Justice Board currently decides the most appropriate placement for young people remanded or sentenced to custody. Placement decisions are based on the individual needs of young people and take into account advice from Youth Offending Teams. This assessment informs whether the young person is suitable for placement in a Secure Children’s Home rather than a Secure Training Centre or Young Offenders Institution. The same process will apply when there is the option of placement in Secure Colleges.