foster care

How widespread is abuse in foster care?

Produced by IRISS for Community Care magazine, this research review examines the evidence on allegations of maltreatment of children in foster care and local authority responses to allegations, as published in the report Maltreatment and allegations of maltreatment in foster care. A review of the evidence, published by the Social Policy Research Unit, University of York.

It brings together the evidence that exists on allegations of abuse and confirmed maltreatment in foster care, and considers the implications of the available evidence.

Survival of the fittest? Improving life chances for care leavers

Report based on a survey of 100 care leavers and consultation with those who work with them that identifies where progress still needs to be made to improve outcomes. The overwhelming response from our consultation, and the message of this report, is that whilst there has been real progress for care leavers in England in recent years, the vast majority of spending and support has been focussed on the better-off care leavers, predominantly those with a stable foster care placement and who are able to remain in education.

Food for Thought project

The Food for Thought project was an ESRC funded project to explore the ways in which food is used symbolically by children, foster carers and residential staff. It looks at how food may stand for thoughts, beliefs and feelings and how these can be better understood and harnessed in the care of children.

The website contains training materials and tools for reflecting on food practices. The resources will:

Managing allegations against foster carers and approved kinship carers: how agencies should respond

Guidance on responding to allegations against foster or kinship carers that reflects the National Guidance and covers situations where the concerns relate to situations where significant harm means that a child protection response is required, as well as situations where the concerns are about the general well being of the child but where no significant harm has been identified.

Listening to fathers: men's experience of child protection in Central Scotland

Report that is the outcome of a Knowledge Exchange Fellowship undertaken by Circle’s fathers’ worker Nick Smithers and the University of Edinburgh School of Social Work. The purpose of the practitioner research project was to elicit the views of fathers who have been involved in child protection processes through their child/ren being placed in foster care or placed on the child protection register.

A good practice overview of fostering and adoption activity

Study that provides information on existing models of practice that would be useful to other councils considering adopting a similar approach in their own fostering or adoption services.

The study focuses on three key areas:
• the benefits and challenges of approaches
• how models of working might be refined in the future
• any actual or future impacts expected through the new models of working

The experiences of fostering and adoption processes - the views of children and young people: literature review and gap analysis

Literature review that aims to identify the existing evidence in relation to children and young people’s views of the processes, and to identify any gaps. At the time of publication, the Government has released the Adoption Action Plan (DfE, 2012) with measures designed to reduce delays in the adoption process.

The views and experiences of children already in the care system will be vital in helping to ensure that changes to current systems meet their individual needs and improve their life chances.

The care placements evaluation (CaPE) evaluation of Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care for Adolescents (MTFC-A)

Study that evaluated the effectiveness of Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care for Adolescents (MTFCA), an innovative, evidence-based form of fostering for looked after children (age 11-16 years) with complex needs.

MTFC-A was implemented by 18 English local authorities, using pump-priming money from the former Department for Children, Schools and Families and supported by an implementation team at the Institute of Psychiatry.