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Reduction in incidents during COVID-19 in a Secure Children’s Home: an opportunity for learning

Annette McKeown, Gemma MacMillan, Ella Watkins, Domanic Caveney, Anna Smith, Patrick Jack Kennedy, Rachel Atkins, Robyn Lee

Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research

ISSN: 1759-6599

Article publication date: 24 January 2022

Issue publication date: 23 May 2022

225

Abstract

Purpose

The COVID-19 pandemic is unprecedented for young people within the UK. The pandemic has presented particular challenges for vulnerable children and young people. For example, a recent study in the UK indicated that 83% of young people with existing mental health conditions said the pandemic had made their condition worse (Young Minds, 2020). To date, the impact upon populations such as young people in Secure Children’s Homes (SCHs) is unknown. This study aims to elucidate this area.

Design/methodology/approach

SCHs provide a safe, supportive environment for vulnerable young people who frequently present with multiple and complex needs. Young people residing within a SCH may be residing at the setting because of a Secure Accommodation Order under a Section 25 Order of the Children’s Act (1989) or for criminal justice reasons, i.e. serving a Remand period or custodial sentence. Preliminary research compared a baseline period to a follow-up period after the commencement of COVID-19 national lockdown measures within a SCH in the North of England to develop understanding of the impact for young people.

Findings

A significant decrease in overall incidents (t (5) = −6.88, p < 0.001), restraints (t (5) = −9.07, p < 0.001) and other incidents including assaults occurred during follow-up. The SECURE STAIRS framework supports trauma-informed care and enhances support within the setting. Consistent with the framework, provision of formulation meetings was significantly increased within the follow-up period (Welsh’s t (74) = −2.74, p < 0.001). Reflections and future recommendations are outlined.

Originality/value

The unanticipated results highlight the value of examining incident data within secure environments and could lead to effective practice changes for practitioners working within this domain. This research also demonstrates how frameworks such as SECURE STAIRS can be beneficial for vulnerable young people during periods of change and stress in mitigating some of the potential negative effects. The implementation of such frameworks within SCHs is still novel and thus evaluative research is valuable.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

Data availability: For queries regarding data, contact the “author for correspondence.”

Financial support: The Burdett Trust is an independent charitable trust that supports nursing contributions to health care. The Burdett Trust provided financial grant funding to support least restrictive practice developments in the setting. These developments link to this publication.

Citation

McKeown, A., MacMillan, G., Watkins, E., Caveney, D., Smith, A., Kennedy, P.J., Atkins, R. and Lee, R. (2022), "Reduction in incidents during COVID-19 in a Secure Children’s Home: an opportunity for learning", Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research, Vol. 14 No. 3, pp. 259-271. https://doi.org/10.1108/JACPR-09-2021-0639

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited

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