Feasibility study on research into the maltreatment of looked after children

Researchers: Jim Wade, Nina Biehal and Parvaneh Rabiee

Funder: National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children

Duration: September 2011 to November 2011

Background

Knowledge about the maltreatment of looked after children in foster and residential care is limited. Although there has been work on abuse in residential care, most of this was conducted in the 1970s and 1980s and is now out of date. Since that time there has also been a steep decline in the use of residential care to the extent that, today, 70% of looked after children are placed in foster care. Strategies designed to reduce admissions to care through provision of preventive services to families has also meant that children who do enter care tend to have higher levels of emotional and behavioural difficulties.

While there is a lack of up to date evidence on maltreatment in residential care, very little is known about the nature and incidence of maltreatment in foster care. We need to know much more about the incidence and nature of maltreatment in these settings and the ways in which agencies identify these problems and respond to them. However, the first step is to discover what kinds of information agencies collect on these issues in order to establish whether a large-scale study would be feasible.

Aims

This feasibility study, funded by NSPCC, involved a partnership between The Fostering Network and University of York. The purpose was to assess the feasibility of conducting a full research study in this area. To do this, we needed to assess whether relevant agencies (local authorities, independent fostering providers, children’s homes) across the UK hold information that:

• could provide reliable estimates of the numbers of children and carers involved in (a) allegations and (b) confirmed cases of maltreatment
• would enable cases to be disaggregated according to whether they concern (a) abuse or neglect or (b) poor standards of care
• could identify the nature and severity of alleged/confirmed cases of maltreatment and the range of responses made by agencies to these cases
• identify where this information is likely to be held (central agency records, carers’ files, children’s files or records held in children’s homes)
• where this varies for children placed in different settings, to identify the kinds of data likely to be available for different sub-groups.

Methods

The feasibility study took place over three months (September-November 2011). We recruited 20 local authorities of varying types (13 in England, 3 in Scotland, 2 each in Wales and Northern Ireland). We also recruited a sample of independent fostering providers, some private and voluntary children’s homes and conducted some interviews with local authority designated officers (LADOs). The Fostering Network helped to undertake this recruitment using the connections it has established with agencies through its work in supporting foster carers.

The main data collection was based around structured telephone interviews with key informants in each agency to obtain answers to the issues listed above. Interviews were undertaken with:

• Service level managers with responsibility for:
  • looked after children
  • fostering
  • residential services
• Local Authority Designated Officers
• Service level managers for independent fostering providers and private/voluntary children’s homes

In addition to these interviews, a one off focus group discussion was held with foster carers to gather their views on the key issues that a full study in this area should address.

Practice and policy aims

The report to the NSPCC described the range of information currently collected by these agencies. It is hoped that a full scale research project can be undertaken in the future to provide data on this neglected area, for the benefit of future children in the care system and their carers. A summary of key findings was made available to each participating agency, since it will be helpful for agencies to know the strengths and limitations of current arrangements for recording allegations.

If you require further information about the project, please contact Jim Wade