A study published in The Lancet found that young male offenders in local authority secure units do not get the mental health services they need.

There is a variability of mental health services in secure homes for children and young people

Department of Health

It found that potentially serious conditions such as depression and anxiety often go untreated.

The researchers say that all young offenders should be screened for mental health problems when they are first locked up, and given proper access to the services they need.

The study focused on 97 boys aged 12-17 years who had been sent to secure units because of the risk they pose to other people or to themselves.

They were all repeat offenders who had been given placements of several months.

Post traumatic stress

Researcher Dr Richard Harrington, of the University of Manchester, said the boys had higher rates of potentially treatable problems such as depression and anxiety.

These problems were often compounded by the development of post traumatic stress symptoms shortly after admission.

It was therefore important that services were adequate to meet demand.

He said there also needed to be much better provision for the assessment and treatment of aggressive behaviour, and for managing substance abuse.

These problems could not be dealt with solely within secure units, but must also be tackled within the offenders' families and local communities.

Government response

Rachel Pitkeathley is communications director for the Youth Justice Board, which runs youth offending teams across the country.

She said: "We are very concerned about the mental health needs of young offenders.

"In a recent survey of youth offending teams more than half said they were unhappy with service from child and adolescent services.

A Department of Health spokesperson said the study provided valuable evidence of the mental health needs of a group of children and young people who are particularly at risk.

"The Department of Health is aware that there is a variability of mental health services in secure homes for children and young people.

"It has already made a substantial investment in mental health services for children and adolescents over the last three years."

The spokesperson said the Children's National Service Framework would outline proposed reforms.