There are three types of secure accommodation in which a young person can be placed. This is known as secure custody.

Young offender institutions (YOIs) Young offender institutions (YOIs) are facilities run by both the Prison Service and the private sector and can accommodate 15 to 21-year-olds.

Secure training centres (STCs) STCs are purpose-built centres for young offenders up to the age of 17. STCs house vulnerable young people who are sentenced to custody in a secure environment where they can be educated and rehabilitated. STCs have a minimum of three staff members to eight offenders. They are smaller in size than YOIs, which means that each individual's needs can be met more easily.

Local authority secure children's homes (LASCHs) Secure children's homes focus on attending to the physical, emotional and behavioural needs of the young people they accommodate. They are run by local authority social services departments, overseen by the Department of Health and the Department for Education and Skills.