Publication - Statistics
Children's social work statistics: Secure Care - 2024-25
Secure Care Statistics for Scotland for 2024-25 that cover data on children in secure accommodation in Scotland.
Update
The publication and report have been updated to reflect the Accredited Official Statistics status of the Secure Care Statistics publication, where previously it had noted it as Official Statistics.
Headline Statistics
- During 2024-25, 70 beds were available across four secure accommodation services in Scotland for those under the age of 18. This is a reduction from 78 beds in the previous two years and down from 84 beds between 2016-17 and 2021-22 .
- 128 admissions to secure accommodation took place during 2024-25 – a 14% decrease from the previous year (149). This continues a longer term trend in decreased admissions since 2016 (256).
- 136 discharges from secure accommodation took place during 2024-25 - a 9% decrease from the previous year (150) and the lowest number of discharges since 2017 (257).
- During 2024-25, there were an average of 58 children in secure accommodation – down from an average of 60 children in 2023-24. There has been an overall decrease in the average number of children in secure care since 2020 (82).
- On average, 53 children were from within Scotland (up 10% on 2023-24) and 6 were from outside Scotland (down 50% on 2023-24).
- Emergency beds were used for a total number of 145 nights, the highest number of nights since 2020. In total, 12 residents used an emergency bed during the year.