The Committee published a report of its findings and recommendations on 26 November 2019. Amongst its key recommendations were-
calling for an assessment of all young persons’ needs to be made within the first days of their incarceration, and consistent, high-quality physical, educational and mental health support to be provided thereafter;
identifying that over 60% of young people who offend in Scotland have significant speech, language and communication needs, and significant numbers also self-harm or have attempted suicide;
highlighting the ‘postcode lottery’ in the provision of child and adolescent mental health support, particularly in secure care units located outside the greater Glasgow area;
calling for more flexibility to be introduced into the system to allow a young person the possibility of remaining in a secure care unit beyond their 18th birthday, if this was found to be in their best interests, and
calling for a rethink of the current funding model for the provision of secure care in Scotland, with models such as block-funding or a national commissioning process being considered to ensure secure care units spend more time and effort focusing on helping those in their care, and less time on their own financial sustainability.