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Secure Care for Children and Young People: A Scoping Review of Evidence, Models and Policy Implications for the ACT

Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Study design: Systematic Review
Abstract: Secure care refers to the placement of children and young people in locked or restricted environments as a response to acute risk or crisis. It has been used in a small number of jurisdictions across Australia and internationally, often for young people experiencing mental health concerns, exploitation, substance use, or extreme vulnerability. While some argue that secure environments can offer short-term stabilisation and a pathway to more intensive support, there are also well-documented concerns about rights infringements, re-traumatisation, and disproportionate impacts on already marginalised groups. Despite ongoing policy interest in secure care, there is currently limited consolidated analysis of the diverse models that exist, the legal frameworks that authorise or restrict their use, or the outcomes for young people who experience them. This scoping review addresses that gap. The review maps current national and international evidence on the use of secure care for children and young people aged 10 to 18. It examines how secure care is defined and operationalised across jurisdictions, what therapeutic approaches are used within secure environments, who secure care is designed for, and how young people enter and exit these settings, along with available perspectives of young people and practitioners within secure care settings. The review also considers the legal and human rights frameworks that govern secure care, what is known about outcomes and young people's own experiences, and the ethical and equity considerations that arise, particularly for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people, young people with disability, and survivors of trauma. Evidence on community-based and non-facility alternatives to secure care is also included. The review follows the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR) reporting guidelines. Findings will identify best practice models, evidence-based concerns, emerging trends, and gaps in the current evidence base, with the aim of providing a practical and research-informed foundation for policy and service design.
Language: English
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7172574679
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