Manchester: No option to move vulnerable teen from hospital - judge

The girl has complex needs and a history of challenging behaviour (Photo: Illustrative image only)

A vulnerable 13-year-old girl must stay in hospital even though she does not need treatment, a judge has ruled.

As he approved continued restrictions Mr Justice Poole said there was no other suitable place for the girl from Manchester, who has complex needs.

The courts have "no real choices" for vulnerable children needing secure care, he added.

He said there were no placements because of an ongoing crisis, in which there appears to be "no end in sight".

The girl, who cannot be identified and was referred to as J, has autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and a history of challenging behaviour including assaults on others and self-harm.

She can only leave the hospital to attend school and remains supervised at all times by carers, is not allowed a mobile phone or social media and cannot access the hospital grounds after 20:00 daily.

If she attempted to leave outside these times the girl may be physically restrained.

The judge said in his ruling: "It is surely harmful to her to spend any more time in hospital than is absolutely necessary.

'Restraint training'

"Very often the court is told that there is only one place where the child can be accommodated," he said.

"There are no real choices for the court to make. The court cannot direct that placements shall be made available."

He said the courts "continue to be confined by the consequences of what Lord Stephens called a 'scandalous lack of provision', for which it appears that there is no end in sight".

He said a "bespoke placement" in privately-rented accommodation, costing Manchester City Council £9,600 a week, had been delayed, as staff needed "restraint training" but the local authority aimed for her to have a new placement by the end of October.

He said he would have been "unlikely" to continue to authorise the restrictions on her freedom in the hospital if there had been alternative accommodation available within a reasonable time.

The judge will review the case later this month and directed that his ruling be sent to the education secretary and the children's commissioner for England.