On 27 February 2008 the House of Lords handed-down an important judgment clarifying local authority responsibilities for homeless teenagers. Ms M had applied to Hammersmith & Fulham Council as a homeless 17 year old. Instead of referring her for an assessment by its social services specialists, the housing staff just booked her into a B&B hotel. Her insecure accommodation arrangements eventually led to her being given a custodial (rather than a community) sentence by a youth court. She also missed out on any assessment of her need for care and support from social services because of the failure of the council to operate the recommended protocol for assessment of homeless teenagers. Jan Luba QC was leading counsel for Ms M."
The full judgment is at http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200708/ldjudgmt/jd080227a/hammer.pdf
