THE mother of a girl who turns 18 on Monday (February 5) has warned "something terrible" is going to happen to her daughter due to the council removing funding to keep her in special care.

The girl has been subject to an Approved Deprivation of Liberty Order (DOLS) for three years, seeing her kept in a secure unit with a support network.

The order was deemed necessary because she had made several attempts on her life following a traumatic incident.

Somerset Council decided this week to stop funding her stay in the unit outside the county when she reaches official adulthood, saying they will place her in independent living accommodation in Somerset.

Her mother said: "The council say she's an adult from Monday, but she's still a child despite her age.

"She's a threat to her own life, a threat to harming herself after the trauma she suffered which has caused her mental health issues.

"She was moved out of the county because she's not safe in Somerset. Now the council are talking about moving her back here.

"She's making good progress where she is. She still has dark days, but she's got the right support and help and doesn't want to come back to Somerset."

The mother added: "I know my daughter and I've told the council if they don't do the right thing something terrible is going to happen.

"This is a person's life they're playing with. It's traumatic. It's my daughter's life I'm worried about.

"It means she'll go from having a DOLS with 24-hour care on a two-to-one basis, having medication administered to having to look after herself.

"Someone with complex PTSD trauma is just being put out and will not get the support the services are supposed to be supplying.

"A placement is ready and willing to take her in straightaway but the council won't listen to reason."

A spokesperson from Somerset Council said: “When children in care have needs that are likely to continue into adulthood, Adult Social Care undertake a legally required assessment prior to the child’s 18th birthday to assess the type of support they are likely to need as an adult, including where the young person has mental health needs.

"Support needs can often change as young people become adults, and Adult Social Care work with health colleagues as part of the assessment process to ensure the right support is available to help young people make the transition to adult living, where we aim to support them to live independently as possible.”

*We are not naming the girl to protect her identity.