Local authorities are increasingly using ‘deprivation of liberty’ orders to house troubled children in unregistered accommodation often many miles from home, the Law Society has warned.
Ministry of Justice figures published last week show 1,280 High Court ‘deprivation of liberty’ applications were made for children in 2024. 132 were for children aged 12 years and under, 734 were for children aged 13-15, and 414 were aged 16-18 years.
The Law Society highlighted that a lack of secure children’s home places meant unregistered accommodation was often used for children, and that families are not automatically eligible for legal aid.
Urging the government to make legal aid available, Richard Atkinson, president of the Law Society, said: ‘These are distressing cases with children who may have faced trauma and/or have physical and mental disabilities.’
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Child law
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Local authority
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