Paper
Better futures? Experience and outcomes of children and young people in residential care
- issue: Issue 3 / 2009
- authors: Andrew Kendrick
- keywords:
- views: 5811
- downloaded: 0
- download pdf (63 Kb)
abstract
Introduction
There are continuing concerns about outcomes for children and young people in residential child care (Kendrick 2008). The historic abuse of children and young people has been highlighted in Scotland with the publication of the report of the Historic Abuse Systemic Review (Shaw 2007), and, more recently, with the revelations of abuse in a former children's home in Jersey. Alongside this, research highlights the poor outcomes of residential care leavers across a range of areas; education and training; accommodation; employment; and health and wellbeing (Dixon 2008). Stability of placement is one aspect which has been linked to better outcomes, and I will explore this in discussing how we approach the experience and outcomes of children and young people in residential child care.
I will first outline some of the difficulties in comparing the use of residential child care across Europe and how this affects our understanding of the outcomes of children and young people (e.g. Francis, Kendick and Poso 2007). For example, there are major differences in the use of residential care for very young children in different European countries, and in the broader context of the use of residential child care in different child welfare systems.
Focusing on outcomes, I will contrast the negative outcomes for care leavers in Scotland, with different ways of approaching the outcomes of residential care. I will outline the findings of a study of a sample of children in residential care in six Scottish local authorities (Milligan, Hunter and Kendrick 2006). The placements of 215 children and young people in 22 local authority care homes were tracked over a six month period. The majority of placements were unplanned, and a third lasted less than one week. Just under half of the children and young people returned home, and this was similar across the age range. Unit and external managers stated that residential care was the preferred placement for just under three-quarters of the placements, and 60% of placements were considered to have achieved their aims. In considering the outcomes of children and young people in care, both short-term and long-term, it is also important to consider the outcomes of comparable children and young people in the family home. For example, a US study followed 149 children in foster care and compared the outcomes of children and young people who remained in foster care and those who returned home. Those who remained in foster care fared better than those who went home (Taussig, Clyman and Landsverk 2001)
Findings
The factors identified as contributing to quality residential care include: clear roles and objectives; congruence in values and roles; leadership styles; strong staff cultures; stability; and formal and informal personal support. There needs to be a focus on: social skills and social competence; family focused worked; behavioural and therapeutic approaches; after care and 'step down' approaches; and relationships (e.g. Knorth et al. 2008). The themes of stability and relationships are particularly crucial. Unplanned change and placement instability are clearly shown to have a negative impact on the range of outcomes: education, health, mental health, employment and accommodation. Efforts to promote stability and continuity must be addressed in terms of continuity of support for children and young people both within placements and through placement change and leaving care. The importance of relationships between young people and residential staff members is highlighted as crucial in the development of positive residential practice. This includes the importance of residential staff members in undertaking a range of sporting, cultural and leisure activities which children and young people in order to promote their wellbeing and development.
Finally, I will highlight that research has found that children and young people often prefer residential child care to other forms of care. While not denying or down-playing negative experiences of residential child care, it is very important to make sure that the balancing, positive views of children and young people are also reflected in debates about the use and role of residential child care. There is a crucial role for residential child care in the range of services for children and young people looked after away from home. Recent policy initiatives which have called for the highest quality in residential child care must address the range of challenges which continue to face children and young people. The positive experiences enjoyed by some children and young people must be made the norm to ensure the best possible prospects for all children and young people.
References
Francis, J., Kendrick, A. and Poso, T. (2007) 'On the margin? Residential child care in Scotland and Finland' European Journal of Social Work 10, 3, 337-352.
Kendrick, A. (ed) (2008) Residential child care: Prospects and Challenges. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Knorth, E.J., Harder, A.T., Zandberg, T. and Kendrick, A. (2008) 'Under one roof? A review and selective meta-analysis on the outcomes of residential child and youth care.' Children and Youth Services Review 30, 2, 123-140.
Milligan, I., Hunter, L. and Kendrick, A. (2006) Current trends in the use of residential child care in Scotland. Glasgow: Scottish Institute for Residential Child Care.
Taussig, N., Clyman, R.B. and Landsverk, J. (2001) 'Children who return home from foster care: A 6-year prospective study of behavioural health outcomes in adolescence.' Pediatrics 108, e10.
Contact details
Andrew Kendrick, Professor of Residential Child Care, Glasgow School of Social Work, Sir Henry Wood Building, University of Strathclyde
76 Southbrae Drive, Glasgow, G13 1PP, Scotland, UK.
Tel: +44 (0) 141 950 3037
Fax: +44 (0) 141 950 3437
Email: andrew.kendrick@strath.ac.uk