Kirsten Stalker, John Carpenter, Rena Phillips, Clare Connors, CharlotteMacDonald and Janet Eyre with Jane Noyes, Stephen Chaplin and MichaelPlace. In Partnership with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

Significant numbers of children and young people with complex physical, medical and cognitive health needs may be spending unnecessarily long periods of time in hospital and other healthcare settings because inadequacy of community-based resources is preventing their discharge.

This report details the findings conducted in England and Scotland 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.

The researcher conclude that much m,ore should be done by health authorities and health boards, by NHS trusts, hospitals and community services, and by social services and education departments to ensure these children receive the same standards of care, treatment and protection accorded to other children, and that inappropriate admissions and lengthy stays  should be avoided at all costs.

Continuous Professional Development
Professionals within the social care sector are required to undertake Continuous Professional Development (CPD). Those who use this resource will be able to gain CPD points.