A short paper providing evidence on the situation of children without parental care and suitability of alternative care. It primarily refers to three models of formal alternative care: ‘family-based care’ as for example, foster care; ‘small residential care settings’ often known as small group homes; and ‘institutions’ identified in the UN Guidelines as ‘large residential care facilities’. The selective review focuses on evidence from academic journals and other sources published in the English language. The evidence studied for this paper suggests: many children, especially in middle and low income countries, are without parental care for reasons that could be addressed through access to family-support and local services provision; there are mixed conclusions regarding suitability and how well individual circumstances of different children in family-based care and small residential care settings are being met; although not always conclusive, the preponderance of evidence indicates the necessity of providing a continuum of suitable care settings; whilst many children have a safe and caring experience in alternative care, maltreatment has been identified in all forms of alternative care – as also in families in the community; children have a right to participate in decisions that affect their life including those made in relation to alternative care and children can have strong preferences about their care, including the setting that suits them best; the evidence clearly shows the importance for policy makers and service providers in listening to children and understanding what is important to them; research confirms the importance of quality of alternative care in contributing to safe and positive experiences for children. More rigorous research that measures impact of different care settings – most especially longitudinal research – should incorporate all factors that can impact on children’s outcomes. Most especially this research is needed in middle and low income countries.
(Edited publisher abstract)
A short paper providing evidence on the situation of children without parental care and suitability of alternative care. It primarily refers to three models of formal alternative care: ‘family-based care’ as for example, foster care; ‘small residential care settings’ often known as small group homes; and ‘institutions’ identified in the UN Guidelines as ‘large residential care facilities’. The selective review focuses on evidence from academic journals and other sources published in the English language. The evidence studied for this paper suggests: many children, especially in middle and low income countries, are without parental care for reasons that could be addressed through access to family-support and local services provision; there are mixed conclusions regarding suitability and how well individual circumstances of different children in family-based care and small residential care settings are being met; although not always conclusive, the preponderance of evidence indicates the necessity of providing a continuum of suitable care settings; whilst many children have a safe and caring experience in alternative care, maltreatment has been identified in all forms of alternative care – as also in families in the community; children have a right to participate in decisions that affect their life including those made in relation to alternative care and children can have strong preferences about their care, including the setting that suits them best; the evidence clearly shows the importance for policy makers and service providers in listening to children and understanding what is important to them; research confirms the importance of quality of alternative care in contributing to safe and positive experiences for children. More rigorous research that measures impact of different care settings – most especially longitudinal research – should incorporate all factors that can impact on children’s outcomes. Most especially this research is needed in middle and low income countries.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
looked after children, residential child care, childrens social care, placement;
Background: To monitor stability of care, the proportion of children in England who have experienced three or more placements in the preceding 12-month period is published in government statistics. However, these annual snapshots cannot capture the complexity and heterogeneity of children’s longitudinal care histories. Objective: To describe the stability of care histories from birth to age 18...
(Edited publisher abstract)
Background: To monitor stability of care, the proportion of children in England who have experienced three or more placements in the preceding 12-month period is published in government statistics. However, these annual snapshots cannot capture the complexity and heterogeneity of children’s longitudinal care histories. Objective: To describe the stability of care histories from birth to age 18 for children in England using a national administrative social care dataset, the Children Looked After return (CLA). Participants and setting: We analyzed CLA data for a large, representative sample of children born between 1992 and 1994 (N = 16,000). Methods: Using sequence analysis methods, we identified distinct patterns of stability, based on the number, duration, and timing of care placements throughout childhood. Results: Although care histories were varied, six distinct patterns of stability were evident including; adolescent 1st entries (17.6%), long-term complex care (13.1%) and early intervention (6.9%). Overall, most children (58.4%) had a care history that we classified as shorter term care with an average of 276 days and 2.48 placements in care throughout childhood. Few children (4.0%) had a care history that could be described as long-term stable care. Conclusions: Longitudinal analyses of administrative data can refine our understanding of how out-of-home care is used as a social care intervention. Sequence analysis is a particularly useful tool for exploring heterogeneous and complex care histories. Considering out-of-home care histories from a life course perspective over the entire childhood period could enable service providers to better understand and address the needs of looked after children.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
looked after children, permanency planning, placement disruption, placement;
This report sets out our findings from a small research project that explored what contributes to good matching decisions for children in foster care. This project is the first part of a wider research programme that looks at decision-making for children in care, or on the edge of care, and care leavers. Matching children to the right foster families is critically important for children’s futures. Good matching decisions can help to ensure that fostered children have a secure base, feel loved and can enjoy their lives. Findings point to the shortage of suitable carers as being the most significant barrier to making good matches. The evaluation saw many thoughtful and effective ways to address shortfalls in matches that were, on paper, less than ideal. It also saw some very creative practice. Social workers and carers regularly made great efforts to understand and meet the needs of children, and often in difficult circumstances. When discussing individual children, practitioners were able to say what had gone well and reflect on where matching practice could have been better. Support was usually readily available to practitioners to help them reflect on practice. There was little evidence, however, that this had translated into wider organisational learning that could improve overall practice across the service. There were several areas of practice that can be improved to promote good matches. Above all, the matching process must be child-centred. For example, children should be prepared well for a move. They should be involved as much as possible in creating the information that is shared with carers. Decisions should always take their wishes and feelings into account.
(Edited publisher abstract)
This report sets out our findings from a small research project that explored what contributes to good matching decisions for children in foster care. This project is the first part of a wider research programme that looks at decision-making for children in care, or on the edge of care, and care leavers. Matching children to the right foster families is critically important for children’s futures. Good matching decisions can help to ensure that fostered children have a secure base, feel loved and can enjoy their lives. Findings point to the shortage of suitable carers as being the most significant barrier to making good matches. The evaluation saw many thoughtful and effective ways to address shortfalls in matches that were, on paper, less than ideal. It also saw some very creative practice. Social workers and carers regularly made great efforts to understand and meet the needs of children, and often in difficult circumstances. When discussing individual children, practitioners were able to say what had gone well and reflect on where matching practice could have been better. Support was usually readily available to practitioners to help them reflect on practice. There was little evidence, however, that this had translated into wider organisational learning that could improve overall practice across the service. There were several areas of practice that can be improved to promote good matches. Above all, the matching process must be child-centred. For example, children should be prepared well for a move. They should be involved as much as possible in creating the information that is shared with carers. Decisions should always take their wishes and feelings into account.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
foster care, placement, foster carers, looked after children;
Critical and Radical Social Work, 8(2), 2020, pp.273-281.
Publisher:
Policy Press
Drawing on principles of auto-ethnography, this commentary offers for discussion reflections on a personal reaction to some of the struggles experienced when navigating the English social work placement landscape for a student who has a diagnosis (or label) of dyslexia/dyspraxia. Commenting on some of the challenges faced in order to try and survive the placement experience necessary to complete
(Edited publisher abstract)
Drawing on principles of auto-ethnography, this commentary offers for discussion reflections on a personal reaction to some of the struggles experienced when navigating the English social work placement landscape for a student who has a diagnosis (or label) of dyslexia/dyspraxia. Commenting on some of the challenges faced in order to try and survive the placement experience necessary to complete the programme, this account makes recommendations and suggestions for educators in university and in practice.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
social work education, placement, dyslexia, student social workers;
Children and Youth Services Review, 117, 2020, p.104368.
Publisher:
Elsevier
A notable development in child welfare provision in recent decades has been growth in certain jurisdictions of formal kinship care as a type of placement for children needing ‘out of home’ care. This trend raises the question of why formal kinship care has emerged in such a marked way in this period in some contexts. This paper sets out to explore this issue by investigating the emergence...
(Edited publisher abstract)
A notable development in child welfare provision in recent decades has been growth in certain jurisdictions of formal kinship care as a type of placement for children needing ‘out of home’ care. This trend raises the question of why formal kinship care has emerged in such a marked way in this period in some contexts. This paper sets out to explore this issue by investigating the emergence and development of formal kinship care in two neighboring jurisdictions in Europe where it now accounts for a substantial proportion of all care placements in Scotland and Ireland. The paper sets out a conceptual framework that considers the emergence of formal kinship care against the backdrop of the overall care systems in both jurisdictions and the wider set of societal kinship care practices relating to children. It traces key policy developments in the evolution of formal kinship care in both systems. It reviews policy challenges and influences that may help to account for the emergence and current relative importance of formal kinship care. This comparative case study aims to contribute to international debates about the development of formal kinship care.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
kinship care, looked after children, comparative studies, placement;
Statistics and analysis on the characteristics of looked-after children in independent or semi-independent living accommodation in England covering the period of 31 March 2010 to 2019. The findings include information on gender, ethnicity, numbers of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, placement provider, area of placement, and the numbers and ages of children accommodated at 31 March 2019...
(Edited publisher abstract)
Statistics and analysis on the characteristics of looked-after children in independent or semi-independent living accommodation in England covering the period of 31 March 2010 to 2019. The findings include information on gender, ethnicity, numbers of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, placement provider, area of placement, and the numbers and ages of children accommodated at 31 March 2019. Key findings show there were 6,180 children looked after living independently or in semi-independent living accommodation at 31 March 2019, an increase of 80 percent from 3,430 at the same time in 2010. A high proportion of these children move into these placements soon after entering care.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
looked after children, supported living, placement, care leavers;