Children admitted to high security (special) hospital.
BACKGROUND
The Special Hospitals in England provide psychiatric treatment in high security. The aim of this study was to examine the demographics and background characteristics of children admitted to high security hospitals in England, using the special hospital case register.


METHODS
Forty-six children (the subject group) were admitted to a high security hospital under the MHA (1983) classification of disorder of mental illness and/or psychopathic disorder between 1983 and 1999, 33 (72%) of whom were male. A comparison group of adults was matched on sex, legal classification of detention and MHA 1983 classification of disorder.


RESULTS
The children were admitted for a similar range of offences to those of the comparison group. However, the children had received convictions for criminal damage and violence at a significantly earlier age, they were more likely to have experienced a change in caregiver during their childhood, been placed in a children's home and were less likely to be living with a family member on their 16th birthday. Children admitted to special hospital experience a lot of disruption in their childhood and are extremely high users of multi-agency services as they grow up.


CONCLUSIONS
Issues are raised regarding how to provide a developmentally sensitive service for children who require high security care.
Dimond
Claire
C
CAMHS, Lanesborough Wing, St George's Hospital, London SW17 0QT.
Butwell
Martin
M
D000293:Adolescent; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D010343:Patient Admission; D010347:Patient Care Planning