Girl's plea to be moved out of Bishopbriggs unit housing males denied

The girl was housed at St Mary’s Kenmure in Bishopbriggs, a secure care unit in East Dunbartonshire, where she was placed by English social services.

She was the only female in the unit at the time and was held alongside 11 boys aged 15 to 17, all of whom had been placed there through Scotland’s youth justice system.

Her case came to light following a visit last June by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT), which monitors the treatment of detained individuals.

In its recently published findings, the CPT revealed that the girl requested to be moved after saying she was "not feeling safe, due to past bad experiences".

Her request to be transferred to an empty house block within the facility was denied.

The committee also noted that she was placed in the unit “avoid isolating her”, despite her concerns.

The CPT’s report stated that children detained under criminal justice grounds should not be housed with those deprived of liberty for other reasons.

It recommended that if St Mary’s Kenmure cannot properly separate these groups, the individual should be placed in another children’s centre.

The report raised broader concerns about the facility, which was described in an October 2024 Care Inspectorate report as "deeply critical."

The report highlighted "significant concerns" regarding the care of young people at the unit and added that there was a “serious risk” to the life of young people on site if more were admitted.

The facility was issued with a prevention notice over any new admissions to the site and has since been allowed to operate at a reduced capacity.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "Secure accommodation services are registered with the Care Inspectorate to care for boys and girls up to age 18 together, and this is not a new approach.

"Providers have robust matching procedures to ensure the safety of all children. "Placement decisions remain with expert decision makers who consider the needs, vulnerabilities, risks and rights of each individual child and others.

It is understood the girl has not lived at the unit for more than a year.

St Mary's Kemure spokesperson said: "St Mary's Kenmure has reviewed the CPT report, along with its findings and recommendations.

"The report did not identify any concerns regarding the safety, wellbeing or protection of any child in our care at the time of the visit.

"Secure care placements at St Mary's Kenmure, like every other secure care centre in Scotland, are mixed accommodation with both boys and girls, with allocation decisions made by local authorities, who retain responsibility for a child’s placement and future care arrangements.

"Every placement is subject to a robust matching process to ensure that the child's needs continue to be met in the most appropriate setting.

"We do not comment on the circumstances of individual children, past or present, in order to protect their privacy and wellbeing.

"We can, however, confirm that St Mary's Kenmure has clear procedures in place for children and young people to raise concerns or complaints.

"Every complaint is taken seriously, responded to appropriately, and shared with the relevant placing authority.

"Children and young people also have access to independent advocacy services to ensure their voices are heard."