The number of applications for Deprivation of Liberty (DoL) orders hit their highest ever level in the last quarter, latest analysis of official data reveals.
The number of applications for Deprivation of Liberty (DoL) orders hit their highest ever level in the last quarter, latest analysis of official data reveals.
Figures from Ministry of Justice (MoJ) shows there were 381 applications made between July and September this year.
This is the highest quarterly figure on record – since the department began collecting data in July 2023 – and represents a 7% increase from 357 applications for the previous quarter (April-June 2025).
It is also a slight rise on the 370 applications made for the July to September 2024 period, according to analysis by the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory (NFJO).
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In-depth: Responding to the rise in deprivation of liberty orders
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DoL orders restrict a child’s liberty by placing them in secure children’s homes or other setting. Where no such placement is available, the child can sometimes be placed in unregulated, often unsuitable accommodation.
The NFJO said there is a “severe shortage of secure children’s homes”, and that DoL applications significantly outweigh applications to place children in registered secure accommodation.
Between the July-September period, 68 applications were made for secure accommodation, compared to 381 DoL applications.
While 86% of applications were for children over the age of 13, significantly, there was a 52% increase compared to the previous quarter in the number of applications for children aged 0-12.
“There is an urgent need to reset services for children who are experiencing the greatest vulnerabilities in our society,” NFJO director, Lisa Harker, said.
A NFJO briefing, compiled from discussions with family law and care experts, puts forward the case for moving to a new system that combines health, social care, police and education practitioners to better support children in complex situations, she added.
The briefing argues that change is needed to reduce reliance on DoL orders by fixing fragmented systems, acting earlier, and providing cross-sector, flexible care that puts children – not risk management – at the centre and prevents crisis-driven decisions.
“Professionals are looking for a clear signal that the government actively supports integrated cross-sector working and that services can and should be working in this way,” said Harker.
Source: CYP Now
