Teenage addict 'not considered for secure accommodation'

Published by Hannah Wooderson for 24dash.com in Local Government and also in Housing

A gifted teenage girl who spiralled into a fatal heroin addiction was not "seriously considered" for a place in secure accommodation which could have helped her, a coroner said today.

Kate Walsh, 16, a budding flautist, had overdosed twice before she was found dead in a "squalid" Swindon squat on January 3, 2004.

Her parents Debbie, a former postmistress who stopped work to care for her, and Anthony said Kate found herself in a "grey area" - too young for adult care services, but old enough to leave home.

They wanted her put in secure accommodation but she was not considered a "danger to the public", the court in Trowbridge heard.

The couple said they were also concerned about her relationship with heroin user Alex Charlamow, 27.

Today, Jean Pollard, assistant director of social services at Swindon Borough Council, revealed that the authority was "cynical" about secure accommodation at that time. It was not set up for treatment and usually housed young offenders, she said.

As Kate was 16, any agreement to go into accommodation would usually be voluntary. She added: "If it was the right thing for Kate, the local authority could apply for a care order. So it wouldn't have been impossible."

She continued: "We were cynical about secure accommodation at that time because they weren't set up in any way to provide treatment."

Wiltshire and Swindon coroner David Masters noted that the guidelines said the measure should be a "last resort" for someone in Kate's position. But with her problems she may have qualified, he suggested.

He said: "It does seem that it hadn't really been considered in depth at that time. It may not have been the right course to take, but nevertheless it doesn't seem to have been seriously considered."

Mr Masters went on: "My anxiety is that it was known that Kate was misusing drugs and was very vulnerable at a much earlier stage than December. It seems to me that there was a huge amount of involvement within the social services department, but the situation isn't grasped - is it? - at an earlier stage.

"When it was clear she was with a drug taker who had relapsed, that relationship should have been sought to be brought to an end.

"It may have been difficult, I know."

After a meeting, Kate rejected offers of supported lodgings and went home with her parents.

There she took up a Placement Agreement - a voluntary behaviour contract - but by December 30 she was reported missing for the last time.

Kate had first left home in May 2003 and drifted in and out of various lodgings.

Ruth Turnbull, a nurse who carried out a mental health assessment of Kate after her second overdose in November, said the girl was not suffering from mental illness.

She was not deemed suitable for secure accommodation as she was not deemed a "danger to the public".

Pathologist Dr Basil Purdy told the hearing that Kate was found in a squat which was littered with drug paraphernalia.

Dr Purdy found the cause of death was "consistent with heroin intoxication".

The inquest will continue tomorrow.