Vulnerable children – including those from abusive homes – have been placed in care settings outside East Ayrshire more than 30 times recently, figures show.
The kids, who can be as young as 12, need specialist help that isn’t available in the local area.
East Ayrshire Council spent more than £4.7 million in the last financial year to ensure the youngsters are safe and get support.
In March, children were attending more than 30 placements outside the local authority according to a paper presented to the council’s governance and scrutiny committee last week.
Committee chair Councillor Barry Douglas said: “It is quite harrowing when you think about the background of the young people. It is sad.
“We need to make sure we can give whatever it takes to provide the best possible care and support.
“Some need 24/7 care. We must do all we can to support people. These are human beings.
“We are talking about very vulnerable young people with complex needs.”
The external care placements include children’s homes, residential schools, and day education.
A total of 19 children were staying in accommodation outside East Ayrshire in March of this year.
There were 11 day education placements and seven classroom support placements.
The paper presented to councillors said some of the kids placed in homes elsewhere are as young as 12.
It added: “Children who are living in either an external children’s house or residential school placement have had significant experiences of bereavement or loss, as well as abuse, trauma and neglect, such as serious sexual abuse, physical abuse and domestic violence.”
The document continued: “These children require complex multi-agency interventions as their experiences can also have been exasperated by placement breakdowns, further compounding their feelings of loss and rejection.
“Children who have experience multiple compound trauma, abuse neglect and loss often present with highly complex and challenging behaviours.”
