Care and treatment? supporting children with complex needs in healthcare settings

This report details the findings conducted in England and Scotland by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, to identify: • how many children with complex support needs are spending periods of longer than one month in health care settings in these countries • how and why they are in hospital • why they have not been discharged home or to appropriate alternative community-based facilities • how well the hospital or health care setting is meeting their emotional, social and educational needs. The authors find that lack of adequate and appropriate resources in the community can lead to children being unnecessarily admitted to hospital and other health care settings, while poor discharge planning can prolong admissions. Furthermore, these institutions are failing to fully meet children's needs, with some young people being denied the protection offered by UK legislation governing children's rights and welfare