Suicidal teenager is held for own safety

A SUICIDAL teenage girl is being held in secure accommodation and watched every minute of the day and night, a family court judge has been told.

The teenager had made a number of attempts to commit suicide and showed an “ongoing desire” to cause herself a “high level” of harm, Sir James Munby heard. Two members of staff at the unit where she was held stayed close and kept “eyes on her” during the day.

One sat near her bed as she slept during the night, and alerted a colleague if she woke. Social services staff have asked family court judges to make decisions about the teenager’s care and Sir James, who is the President of the Family Division of the High Court and the most senior family court judge in England and Wales, is overseeing her case.

Detail of the youngster’s living arrangements have emerged in a written ruling by Sir James following the latest round of litigation.

Sir James, who had heard evidence at a private family court hearing in Kendal, Cumbria, said the teenager was in her midteens but could not be identified.

He said the girl’s mother thought that she was on a “path of self-destruction”. A psychiatrist had diagnosed a number of disorders and Sir James described a report by staff at the secure accommodation unit as “profoundly disturbing”.

Sir James had ruled that the teenager should be placed in the care of social services staff at Cumbria County Council.

He said the teenager was approaching adulthood and he said social services staff had a “plan of action” for her future care.

Specialists said she needed therapy in an “appropriate clinical setting”. The judge said he had concluded that she had to be kept in secure accommodation for her own safety at present.