Welcome to Clare Lodge

Clare Lodge is a leading national provider of all female "welfare" placements (Children Act 1989. Section 25) for young people in the UK. The service is independent, not contracted to the Youth Justice Board and accepts referrals in respect of young people aged 10 to 17 years who are in need of care, programmes of intervention and protection. Typically, those placed have extensive histories of abuse and exploitation, poor attachments, and low self-esteem. Many of the young people have a range of health / mental needs and exhibit complex behaviours which may include running away, self-harm, exploitation, psycho-sexual difficulties, issues concerning drug and alcohol misuse, eating disorders, aggression and other challenging behaviours.

Clare Lodge provides: 

• Psychological / psychiatric assessment and therapeutic input
• Reports for the Court
• Health screening and assessment
• Drug and alcohol advice / counselling
• Sexual health advice / counselling
• Art therapy
• Evaluation and behaviour intervention programmes
• Full educational programme to National Curriculum / GCSE Standard
• Streamlined / fast referral / placement arrangements

Meeting the Criteria For Secure Accommodation

Secure accommodation welfare placements are available for young people that meet the criteria set out in Section 25 of the 1989 Children’s Act for placements in England, or in section 119 of the Social Services and Well-being Act 2014 for placements in Wales. These Acts stipulate that a child being looked after by the local authority may not be placed and if placed may not be kept, in secure accommodation unless it appears:

1. That he/she has a history of absconding and is likely to abscond from anything other than secure accommodation; and
2. If he/she absconds he/she is likely to suffer significant harm (Section 25(1)(a) / Section 119(1)(a)); or
3. If he/she is kept in anything other than secure accommodation he/she is likely to injure him/herself or other persons (Section 25 (1)(b) / Section 119(1)(b)).

If the criteria are satisfied, there is a mandatory duty on the Court to make the order. Re: M (Secure Accommodation Order) (CA) (1995) 1 FLR. 418

When making an application to court if at the time you are unsure if the placement will be in Wales or England, you should fill in the application form so that it is expressed in the alternative so that the application is made either for a Section 119 order or a Section 25 order and then you can tell the judge on the day of the hearing where the placement will be and therefore what sort of order you are asking the court to make.

If the court made a Section 119 order for Wales but then the child needed to be moved to England it would require an application back to the court to get a section 25 order to authorise the placement in England, and vice versa for Welsh placements.

Making a Referral

The Secure Welfare Coordination Unit (SWCU) is a small unit grant funded by the Department for Education (DfE) for the purposes of administering placements and collecting data on secure welfare. It is not a legal entity and therefore does not have a Director.

Referral forms and supporting documentation should be sent securely to the SWCU only.

To make referrals for young people that meet the Section 25 / Section 119 criteria please download and complete the SCH Referral Form. If the young person is aged between 13 and 17 this is the only referral paperwork required.

Completed SCH Referral Forms should be securely emailed to the SWCU at securewelfare@hants.gov.uk. The SWCU can also be contacted on 01962 846432 for more information on secure welfare placements.

The SWCU’s working hours are Monday to Friday 08.30 – 17:00. If you require assistance outside of these hours, please contact the individual Homes directly using the contact details found below page. A secure welfare referral form will need to be completed for the home and a copy also sent to the SWCU.