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Summary In this cross-sectional study, we examined differences between 351 adolescents allocated to secure residential youth care and the non-residential alternative educational facility School2Care (12–18 years old, 63% boys). Data were collected by means of the official school registration system and standardized questionnaires. Findings Results showed that adolescents in both settings had severe problems. Emergency situations, problems in daily functioning in all life domains, and previous out-of-home placements were found to be associated with allocation to secure residential youth care instead of non-residential alternative education. These three factors may be considered risk factors for secure residential placement of adolescents with complex needs. Applications This study provides input for the prevention of secure residential youth care, because the two dynamic (changeable) risk factors for residential out-of-home placement (i.e., emergency situations and adolescent’s daily life functioning) should be considered as intervention targets in non-residential care, while static factors (i.e., history of out-of-home placement) can be used to improve risk assessment of residential out-of-home placement, with higher risk requiring more intensive treatment according to the risk-need-responsivity model for effective mandated treatment.

The present review examined the association between parents’ empathy and the quality of child-parent attachment relationships. A systematic search yielded five published empirical studies, including nine effect sizes. A three-level meta-analysis yielded a significant, moderate, and positive association of r =. 27 between empathy of the parent and children’s attachment security. It was concluded that parental empathy is significantly related to child attachment security. The magnitude of the effect size is comparable to the effect sizes found in meta-analyses on the relation between parental sensitivity, parental mentalisation, and child attachment security. Future studies should investigate the relation between parents’ (cognitive and affective) empathy, their internal working models of attachment, and their child’s attachment security.