A DISTRAUGHT mother-offour is considering taking legal action over alleged failings in the care and treatment of her teenage daughter.

It follows the arrest and detention of her 14-year-old daughter at Aycliffe Secure Children’s Home, in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham.

The girl, who has learning difficulties and is one of twins, was arrested in connection with a serious incident, which is being investigated by Durham Police.

She has the mental age of a five year old, can be aggressive and violent and has a record of running away from home and school.

The girl’s mother believes her daughter’s plight is the direct result of a failure to properly diagnose her complex mental health problems, made worse by a refusal to refer her to a secure residential school.

It is understood that Darlington Social Services may be considering taking the girl into care and sending her to a secure residential home where her family would have restricted visiting rights.

In her mother’s view, what has happened to her daughter echoes the predictions made by another Darlington family.

As exclusively revealed in The Northern Echo this week, a Darlington couple fear that the disturbed ten-year-old boy they adopted will kill them unless he gets the care he needs.

The couple have been pressing Darlington Social Services for six months for a referral to a residential treatment centre in Lancashire, where their son, who they believe has a rare behavioural condition, can be treated.

The mother of the 14-yearold girld said: “If everyone had just done their job I don’t think she would be locked up in Aycliffe secure unit, which is like a prison.”

A spokesman for Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, said: “It would not be appropriate for us to comment specifically on this case but we recognise and understand the difficulties that this family have faced and have endeavoured to support them as far as we were able.”

A Darlington Borough Council spokeswoman said: “It would not be appropriate to comment on the detail of this case, but the council always seeks to achieve the best outcomes for children.”