Court summons social services director over accommodation failure

The London Borough of Southwark’s social services director has been ordered to appear before a judge after the council could find no suitable accommodation available for a teenager described as “troubled and dangerous”.

In a High Court hearing, Hayden J also ordered the person in charge of admissions at a secure unit at Aycliffe, Durham, to be available by telephone.

The court heard 14-year-old F was placed in care in June. He has severe behavioural problems and was found in a crack den after absconding from his care home.

F has convictions for possessing knives and was expelled from the care home after becoming involved in a dispute with another resident, whom he threatened.

The Judge said: “There are real grounds for believing that he is involved in serious gangland activity and that he finds employment as a drugs courier.”

He added: “I fully accept that those working within the unit are genuinely afraid of F. He can be a very intimidating individual, although not always and not to everybody.”

The judge found F was likely to injure himself or others if not in secure accommodation, but noted social workers had been unable to find a suitable secure facility, including the Aycliffe centre.

He ordered that copy of his judgement should go to education secretary Justine Greening, whose department is responsible for finding such accommodation through the National Secure Welfare Commissioning Unit.

Southwark did not respond to a request for comment.