Justice Committee takes up mental health for detained young people

Holyrood’s Justice Committee is embarking on a review of mental health care for young people in secure units and the Polmont Young Offenders Institution.

Among witnesses due to appear before the MSPs tomorrow is Wendy Sinclair-Gieben, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in Scotland. Her inspectorate highlighted shortcomings in service provision for young people entering and in custody at Polmont, in a report published last week, following a review prompted by the suicides of two young people in custody in 2018. It also made recommendations for changes.

The committee will also be considering the provision of secure care for young people in the five dedicated units around Scotland: the Good Shepherd in Bishopton (18 beds), Kibble in Paisley (18 beds), Rossie in Montrose (18 beds), St Mary‘s in Bishopbriggs (24 beds), and Edinburgh Secure Services unit with six beds. These are run by four separate charitable organisations, with Good Shepherd and St Mary’s sharing management.

These secure care units receive both Scotland-based and England-based young people; recently the high number of cross-border placements from England has been sustaining three of the four independent charitable secure units in Scotland, which would be at risk of unplanned closure without the cross-border placements.

Speaking ahead of the session, committee convener Margaret Mitchell MSP said: "Tragic events at Polmont have brought to the fore the issue of the mental health of young people placed in prison and secure care. The committee is keen to do what it can to help improve support for young people in the justice system.

"With this in mind, MSPs will be examining whether the recommendations made by this review actually help young people placed into prison or secure care, and more widely the secure care system. 

"Crucially, the committee will consider whether the current setup is structured and funded in a way that is sustainable. This will include looking at whether it meets the needs of young people, and the wider policy aims of the Scottish Government around reducing reoffending and rehabilitating young people."