Mentally ill children locked up by police Police officers called to deal with children as young as 11 who appear to be mentally ill often have "no realistic option" other than locking them up, it has emerged. The 347 such detentions in England and Wales last year risked causing paranoia, delusions and "fear and distress" . The Association of Chief Police Officers said provision for young people in some places was "patchy," leading to children being placed in cells for more than 24 hours in some cases. Norman Lamb, a Health minister, described the situation as "completely unacceptable."