This report deals with the concept of 'refuge' for children under the age of sixteen who are away from home or care, as established under section 51 of the Children's Act 1989 and section 38 of The Children's (Scotland) Act 1995. It discusses the factors affecting its provision in the UK and goes on to detail a series of pilot programmes, run between 2004-2006. These were funded by the Department of Health and the Department for Education and Skills, aimed to extend the models of community-based refuge. It draws out learning points from the outcomes of these pilots, makes broad recommendations on aspects of refuge and advises of the need for further research in this area.
