families, children and young people

Choice and change: how disabled young people with degenerative conditions and their parents make choices about care and services

Disabled young people with degenerative conditions and their parents face many service-related decisions. This study looks at the realities of choice-making processes within families, exploring the respective roles and experiences of young people and their parents.

What have I done?: the experiences of children and families in UK immigration detention - lessons to learn

This research investigates the experiences of UK immigration detention of children1 and their families. Numerous research studies (Crawley and Lester, 2005; Lorek et al, 2009; Burnett et al, 2010) and inspection reports (Aynsley-Green, 2005; HMIP, 2008; 2010) have highlighted that the experience of detention, even for a relatively brief period of time, has a detrimental effect on the mental and physical health of children.

Early intervention, using the CAF process, and its cost effectiveness: findings from LARC3

The LARC3 research findings provide important "real time‟ evidence about the cost effectiveness of early intervention. At a time when there is increasing interest in promoting sector-led models of service improvement, the LARC model, in which local authorities and national agencies undertake collaborative research, has potential as one of the "improvement tools‟ available to local authorities and government.

Parents at the centre

Report undertaken to understand why some parents who are entitled to use early years services don’t normally do so. More specifically, the research seeks to understand how parents access information that shapes their decision-making about early years provision, and how service providers can better engage with and support parents to meet their families’ needs. On the basis of the findings, the case is made for a number of key policy changes, to ensure that early years provision enables children from low-income families to break out of the inter-generational cycle of disadvantage.

Intensive family support: the evidence

Paper that brings together the Action for Children evidence base on intensive family support services. It is collated under a number of themes:

- keeping children safe
- keeping young people safety at home/out of care
- keeping children out of custody
- keeping children healthy
- improving children's relationships
- savings to the state and communities
- improving educational attainment
- reducing anti-social behaviour
- housing stability

'Don't make assumptions': children's and young people's views of the child protection system and messages for change

Research commissioned by the Office of the Children’s Commissioner and carried out by a team from the University of East Anglia, it documents children and young people’s views of the child protection system and considers how these views might contribute to improving responses to abuse and neglect.

It aimed to gather the views of children and young people living with their parents, who all had a child protection plan in place. The research comes during a period when the child protection system in England is being reviewed.

A pathway of care for vulnerable families (0-3): guidance

Guidance that draws on key Scottish Government publications launched between 2008 and 2011 to reinforce key messages around reducing inequalities, building capacity in individuals, families and communities and taking a holistic approach to meeting the needs of all children.

The overall aim is to ensure that vulnerable children (from conception to age 3) and families in all parts of Scotland receive support that is equitable, proportionate, effective and timely.