Aspirations Three Years On: the views of young people who are fostered and their carers

Aspirations Three Years On: The views of young people who are fostered and their carers Copyright © TACT & London South Bank University

A research report by Professor Bob Broad PhD

Brighter futures for children and young people

Aspirations Three Years On: The views of young people who are fostered and their carers

Aspirations Three Years On: The views of young people who are fostered and their carers Copyright © TACT & London South Bank University1

BoB BroAD PhD

Bob Broad PhD, Professor of Children and Families Research, undertook this research study in his capacity as Visiting Professor at London South Bank University’s Institute of Social Science Research. He was previously Director of Research at the National Children’s Bureau, London, and prior to that he was Director of the Children and Families Research Centre at De Montfort University, Leicester for ten years.

ACKNoWLEDGEMENTS

This follow-up study of young people in foster care with The Adolescent and Children’s Trust (TACT) would not have been possible without the assistance of many people. First of all I would like to thank the young people who completed the questionnaires, their foster carers, and TACT administrative and professional staff. Next, I would like to acknowledge the help of Kevin Williams, Hugh Pelham, David Bradley and Gareth Crossman at TACT for their commitment to this longitudinal study. A very special thanks is also extended to Sylvie Poncheville at TACT for designing the colourful, young person-friendly version of the schedule of questions. Thanks are also extended to Sam White, research assistant, and Dr. Beverley Lolita Goring at London South Bank University for their data entry, analysis and administrative support respectively.

About the author

Professor Bob Broad | London South Bank University Institute of Social Science Research 2011

Published in 2011 by The Adolescent and Children’s Trust

TACT is the national charity for children and young people involved in the care system. Their core services are fostering and adoption and also offer a range of other services to help, support, encourage and empower young people and their families.

TACT Head Office, The Courtyard, 303 Hither Green Lane, Hither Green, London SE13 6TJ. www.tactcare.org.uk

Registered charity numbers: England & Wales 1018963. Scotland SC 039052 ISBN number: 978-0-946786-68-8

Copyright © TACT and London South Bank University Aspirations Three Years On: The views of young people who are fostered and their carers


By KEviN WiLLiAMS, TACT CEo

In 2007, TACT commissioned Professor Bob Broad from South Bank University to undertake a study into the views and experiences of children and young people in our care and their carers. It was called ‘Aspirations: the views of foster children and their carers’.

We undertook this research because we knew about the often quoted negative statistics about how poorly children in care have done at school, how many went to prison and how many became homeless. However, we also knew that many of the young people looked after by TACT carers enjoyed their time in care and went on to lead successful and fulfilling lives. This research would give us an opportunity to make both quantitative and qualitative assessments of what young people and their carers can do to help them achieve their aspirations.

The results of that research showed us many things. It told us that young people in care wanted to be treated as ‘normal’. It showed how important their current foster carer is to a young person, and also how developing friendships and a range of hobbies and interests helped development. It demonstrated the fundamental importance of security and stability. The responses from carers helped us appreciate the importance of the support services we provide.

This new study continues that work. It uses the same group of young people and their carers and is the first longitudinal study into their views. It means we can look at their experiences not just as a snapshot but considered over a period of time. It allows us to see that the benefits of a stable, well supported placement continue over time but at a receding rate. This allows us to make recommendations for additional support during the placement to ensure improvement continues.

Possibly the most telling finding is how important the current carer is to a young person. Ninety-six percent of the young people described this relationship as ‘very important’. This figure is higher than for any birth relative. This shows how important it is to maintain the stability of a successful foster placement. Of course children sometimes need to be moved to another carer or reunited with their family. However, such decisions should only be done if it is in the child’s best interests. In these financially challenging times it is important to remember that a decision taken for perceived short term benefit can have very damaging long term consequences.

In 2007, I said in the introduction to the first ‘Aspirations’ report that, ‘Our job is to help young people achieve their dreams and hopes’. TACT and our carers remain committed to achieving this for the young people placed in our care. This study will help us persuade politicians and policy makers that much more can be done to help and support children in care and foster carers across the United Kingdom.

I would like to take the opportunity to thank TACT’s foster carers and staff. It is because of their hard work and commitment to improving the lives of children in care that this report is so positive. I would also like to pay recognition to the achievements of the children who have been in our care. To have been taken away from their families, through no fault of their own, gave them the most difficult start in life. The fact that so many of them go on to achieve so highly is truly humbling.

Foreword

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Page Content

4 Executive summary

5 Commentary

6 introduction, policy context and project background

9 research findings – young people

10 The young people’s perspectives – decisions

13 The young people’s perspectives – schooling

16 The young people’s perspectives – family and friends

19 The young people’s perspectives – life skills

20 The young people’s perspectives – activities

22 The young people’s perspectives – making things better

23 research findings – the foster carers’ perspectives

27 Emergency and planned placements compared

29 Summary of findings and discussion

32 references

33 Notes

Contents

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Executive summary In 2007, TACT commissioned Professor Bob Broad of London South Bank University to undertake a study of children in the care system looked after by TACT foster carers. In the original research, questionnaires about health and wellbeing were answered by cohorts of young people and their carers (Broad, 2008).

In that initial 2007 study, responses were collated from 56 young people and their foster carers. This follow-up study records the experiences of all 30 of those 56 young people who are still in the same foster placement as in 2007. The study also records the views of their 24 foster carers.

The study focused on young people’s experiences of being fostered and their foster carers’ assessment of factors that contribute to these experiences. It looked in detail at a range of specific areas covering their health and wellbeing; education and participation outcomes; their involvement in activities; their life skills; and their connections with past and present family and friends.

The importance of this study is to provide a longitudinal assessment of the impact a stable long term foster care placement can have on the wellbeing and life chances of young people in the care system. The research shows how beneficial this stability can be and how vital it is towards helping a young person lead a ‘normal’ life.

KEY Findings inCludE:

The importance of foster carers to a young person in care. Ninety six percent of young people identified their relationship with their current foster carer as being ‘very important’. The next most important relationship was with siblings which 88 percent said was very important. By comparison, 65 percent said the relationship with their birth mother was very important and 43 percent said the same about their birth father. Previous foster carers were ranked lowest on the list with only 12.5 percent of young people considering them ‘Very important’ and 54 percent saying they were the ‘Least important’.

Foster carers’ assessment of the improvement in the health and wellbeing of the young people in their care shows that, while they identify ongoing improvement throughout the placement, the rate of improvement slows down. The improvements identified between arriving in placement and the 2007 survey were more significant than between the 2007 survey and this 2010 study. The most significant gains occur in the first nine months to a year of a placement.

That for children in stable placements, their experience of school can be extremely positive. They were asked 14 questions concerning school with the opportunity to respond ‘Excellent’, ‘Good’, ‘Average’, ‘Below Average’ and ‘Need more help’ to each question. Overall, 81 percent responded with replies of either ‘Excellent’ or ‘Good’ being given. When compared to the 2007 findings, perceptions of the school experience had continued to improve. The most dramatic improvements were in the non academic but developmentally vital areas such as ‘saying how I feel and contributing’ and ‘making friends’. It is also an important finding that the young people ‘feel safe’ at school and are able to talk with teachers if concerns arise. Despite the young people’s excellent school attendance, as in 2007, 55 percent of the young people said they lacked confidence in doing homework and taking exams, and would welcome further help in these areas.

Children felt they were involved about ‘big decisions’ in their life. Given the choice of saying they had ‘A lot of say’, ‘Some say’ and ‘No say’, 84 percent said they had a lot of say regarding decisions. In contrast to this, a significant proportion felt they were not involved in placement decisions. Thirty six percent said they had ‘No say’ in the decisions about coming to their current placement.

Children in placement had developed a wide range of interests and activities. The young people were given a list of twenty one potential activities carried out individually, with the foster family and outside with friends. The responses showed that nearly all the activities were carried out by at least some of the children. ‘Days out’, ‘computer games’, swimming’, ‘hanging out with friends’, ‘cycling’, ‘play station’, ‘reading’ and ‘football’ were all enjoyed by at least 74 percent of the young people.

The study also considered the different responses concerning those children who had arrived as an emergency placement (62 percent) and those whose placements were planned (38 percent). It found significant differences between the sets of responses. For example, foster carers rated the physical health of planned placements on arrival as 100 percent being either ‘excellent’ or ‘good’. Only 62 percent of emergency placements had health rated as ‘excellent’ or ‘good’. The figures for mental health are even more striking. While carers rated 100 percent of planned placements as having ‘excellent or ‘good’ mental health, emergency placements only rated 39 percent. Figures varied in other areas as well. For example, while 100 percent of children in planned placements said they had excellent friendships with children the same age, the figure was only 36 percent for emergency placements.

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CommentaryThis research is a powerful, useful counterweight to negative statistics and perceptions about the consequences of entry into the care system. Continuing work started in 2007, the research demonstrates how a stable and supported foster placement can transform the life of a young person in the care system.

It is necessary to acknowledge that the current sample may have some bias towards those young people who have had relatively positive experiences whilst being looked after. Those young people lost to the follow-up sample may have provided a different impression. Nonetheless, for the 30 young people who were willing to share their experiences over this three year period, there are indications of positive change.

Possibly the most powerful message from the 2007 study was that children in care wanted to be treated as ‘normal’ at home, in school and by the authorities. The new research strongly suggests how the stability provided by their foster homes has allowed them the opportunity to live normal lives.

While one might expect current foster carers to play an important part in the young person’s life, the extent to which this is the case is dramatic. With 96 percent saying they were ‘very important’, moving a child out of placement unnecessarily could have a dramatic impact upon their well being and aspirations.

The importance of the current foster carer at the top of the list can be contrasted with previous carers who are ranked bottom. It is a relatively safe assumption to make that those previous carers were near the top and possibly at the top of the list of important people in the young person’s life when they were placed there. The rapid drop down the rankings indicates that moving children to another placement is seen as an event rather than a process. While circumstances specific to each case will dictate, it might be that the young person and the previous carers will want to remain in contact. Young people in care should have the opportunity to enjoy relationships they have developed, rather than having them cut off. TACT would like to see practitioners and policymakers place greater emphasis on allowing relationships to continue where possible.

While it is encouraging that foster carers continue to see development and improvement throughout the placement, attention should be paid to the rate at which this occurs slowing down over time. To an extent this can be accounted for by the fact that most children come into care following a chaotic life with birth parents. Simple changes such as the imposition of routine and regular school attendance will result in dramatic early improvement. However, the levelling off of improvement after around one year indicates that more emphasis can, and should, be placed at this stage. Without awareness of this, it is too easy to judge the improvements made and assume that no further significant changes are necessary. The review one year into placement is key to ensuring progress continues. Independent Reviewing Officers, in particular, need to be aware of the need to avoid complacency in placement assessment.

While the emphasis of the research is on the importance of stability, it should be emphasised that staying in the same placement for a long period of time will not, in itself, be enough to ensure a positive care experience. The young people’s responses showed up a number of other vital factors that assist their development. They are involved in the major decisions about their life; they participate in school life and make friends; they enjoy a wide range of activities. It is these factors that help the young person feel ‘normal’, the ideal identified in the 2007 study. To achieve this, the proactive involvement of the foster carer, supported by the local authority or the Independent Fostering Agency, is crucial.

The differences that can be seen in the health and wellbeing ratings for children who have arrived in emergency, rather than planned, placements indicate that more attention needs to be paid to the welfare of these children. These might include additional ongoing assessments and monitoring. It is particularly important that the disruption and trauma experienced by children entering the care system, particularly in an emergency, are not exacerbated. For example, a local authority removing a child from an emergency carer to in-house carers, as soon as one becomes available, could prove extremely damaging.

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introduction, policy context and project backgroundiNTroDuCTioN AND PoLiCy CoNTExTThe care system is experiencing considerable change and increasing levels of demand for appropriate placements. Following the death of baby Peter Connelly in 2007 and the publication of the inquiries into his death in 2008, the care system has experienced a surge in applications for vulnerable children and young people to be taken into care as agencies seek to be even more vigilant. For example, between October 2008 and December 2009 monthly care applications increased by 45 percent (CYPN, 2010). Other contributing developments to the rise in the number of care applications include an increased focus on prevention, more defensive child protection practice and the rollout of the public law outline. The context for foster care is also changing in that there are:

Less specialist provisions for the more challenging children

More diverse circumstances and ethnicities, e.g. unaccompanied asylum seeking children

More specialist tasks, e.g. ‘intensive treatment’

More diverse structures, e.g. commissioning Independent Foster Care Providers (IFPs)

More alternatives, e.g. kinship care, special guardianship

More awareness of the problems of care leavers

A continuing shortage of suitable foster carers(Schofield, 2010).

The care system is under considerable pressure to deliver consistent quality services that protect children whilst meeting their developmental and emotional needs. It is within this context that Independent Foster Care Providers, such at TACT, work alongside local authorities to provide services. At policy level, the Care Matters green and white papers (2006 and 2007) aimed to shake up looked after children’s service and the Children and Young Persons Act 2008 strengthened government plans. Yet, despite these welcomed policy changes, improvements have been patchy across different authorities, and there remain large variations in outcomes for children looked after between different authorities as well as between them and other children (DfE, 2010). The administration elected in 2011 is consulting about further developments in foster care including a national foster care charter about standards and principles, although there will be considerably less funding available for any and all new initiatives.

Key areas identified in the Every Child Matters (ECM) Guidance Framework (2008) and Children and Young People: Rights to Action (Welsh Assembly Government, 2004) noted that a child’s school, home environment and relationships should provide opportunities for all children to build friendships, develop resilience and improve their health and wellbeing. However, looked after children’s unsatisfactory education attainment levels suggest that placement moves, changing schools, low expectations and a lack of support are preventing looked after children from enjoying these opportunities.

As well as reporting uneven implementation of Care Matters, the 2009 Care Matters Stocktake annual report (DCSF, 2010) emphasised the importance of putting looked after children’s opinions at the heart of decision making. In 15 percent of cases, changes to policy and practice were ‘always’ a result of consultation with young people. Similarly, changes were ‘usually’ a result of consultation in 33 percent of cases and ‘sometimes’ a result in 34 percent of cases. In only six percent of cases were no changes introduced following consultation with children in care (DCSF, 2010, 9).

These Care Matters requirements, and other expectations and monitoring, represent a revisiting and strengthening of ‘user participation’ and ‘user involvement’ developments regarding children in care. It is a legal duty (CYPA, 1989, S22 (4a) (5a) (4b and c)), as well as good practice, that the views of children in care are sought and taken into account during the decision making process.1 In addition, it is noted that promoting resilience and building on developmental assets have emerged as key ways forward for children in care, as Gilligan’s work has demonstrated (Gilligan, 2009).

This policy context has helped to shape our research to concentrate on:

Examining the views of young people about their foster care experiences

Examining the views of the young people’s foster carers

Identifying resilience indicators and activities

Focusing on young people’s involvement in decisions

Examining how the young people are getting on at school

Focusing on young people’s health and wellbeing, informed by the ECM

Analysing young people’s life skills.

ovErALL AiMS of ThE rESEArCh STuDy

The study will explore and record children’s experiences of being looked after in foster care by TACT and their foster carers’ perspectives on the young people they foster. The resultant research process examines specific outcomes. In summary, the overall project aims are:

To produce a standardised data baseline regarding the circumstances, health and wellbeing, and views of young people in foster care

To conduct a longitudinal study of young people in foster care with TACT

To establish a cohort from 2007 and follow their progress in 2010

To produce an independent report of the study’s findingsfor TACT

To use the report’s findings regarding the experiences and perceptions of the young people and foster carers to inform and improve TACT’s work with them.

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TACT is keen to establish the outcomes of the children whom it looks after, and to seek children’s and foster carers’ views in order to complement the statistical data already gathered centrally. The study is aimed at a range of stakeholders: its children, foster carers, its own staff and the local authorities with whom it works. The project’s findings will be of use to the children and young people fostered in TACT, their foster carers, staff, partner local authorities, politicians, policy makers and others working in fostering.

SPECifiC AiMS of ThE rESEArCh STuDy

To undertake a research and evaluation project which records and analyses:

Young people’s experiences of being fostered

Young people’s opinion on their health and wellbeing, education and participation outcomes; their involvement in activities, life skills and their connections with past and present family and friends

Young people’s explanations of what factors contribute to these outcomes

Foster carers’ explanations of what factors contribute to these outcomes

Young people and foster carers’ perspectives regarding changes in contrast to the data gathered over the longitudinal study

Changes in the young people’s situations using standardised questions and rankings, at their arrival in placement, in 2007 and in 2010.2

Detailed process outcomes.

rESEArCh METhoDS AND rATioNALE

This study is based on gathering, analysing, triangulating and comparing information from the following five complementary sources:

1. A baseline data set from the young people’s 2007 responses.

2. A baseline data set from the foster carers’ 2007 responses.

3. Young people’s responses from the young people’s 2010 questionnaire survey.

4. Foster carers’ responses from the foster carers’ 2010 questionnaire survey.

5. Specific placement and education information (provided by foster carers to TACT in 2009) as part of TACT’s regular review of their young people’s wellbeing.

Issues about social inclusion, child safety and resilience for looked after children are covered by the five different questionnaire sections. It was decided not to interview the young people or foster carers due to a range of practical and ethical difficulties regarding interviews, time and resources available, the spread of TACT placements across England and Wales and project timescales.3

Resilience factors, for example, are identified by Gilligan (2001) as:

Helping children stay connected to key people including family and friends

Getting the most out of school opportunities and experiences

Emphasising the vital role of adults in children’s lives

Developing positive supportive relationships

Having stable, loving placements

Providing training and support services to foster placements

Not moving placements unless absolutely necessary

The five over-arching areas selected for this study and to inform the questionnaires are:

Living in family foster care and young people’s involvement in decision making

School activities and engagement

Life, self-care and communication skills

Connections with family and friends and social workers

Activities and involvement in decision making

These are not dissimilar to the Quality of Care Index applied to looked after children research conducted elsewhere (Stein, 2009, 91).

The rationale for using these five areas is four-fold:

1. The views of young people living in foster care are vital if we are to understand their perceptions and experiences of living in foster care.

2. Involvement in decision making is a key developmental asset (see also Broad, 2005), contributing to greater resilience and increased social inclusion for those at risk of social exclusion (Social Exclusion Unit, 2005).

3. Participation in activities, acquiring life skill competencies and getting the most from education are key factors in self development.

4. Young people’s perspectives on these areas can be compared year on year.

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The overall general aim of this longitudinal study was to follow up the health and well being of 100 young people in foster care with TACT. Initially, in establishing the 2009-10 cohort, the research team was provided with the names of all 56 young people involved in the initial 2007-8 survey of young people and their foster carers.

The original sample was selected in terms of age range (between eight and 17 years of age) and having been in placement with TACT foster care for a minimum of six months.

ChArT 1 – iNiTiAL 2010 CohorT of youNG PEoPLE (n=56)

In 2007, there were 350 children in foster care with TACT, of whom 131 had been looked after for at least two years. Since there is always an attrition rate in research, it was decided to contact these 131 young people with the expectation of reaching and receiving responses back from 100 young people. However, between the period of commencing the study and sending out the questionnaires, 41 of the 131 children were no longer in placement. Ninety remaining children met the criteria of: currently being in placement, aged between 8-17 years of age, and having been in placement for at least six months. Of the 90 questionnaires, 56 (62 percent) were returned by the young people to be processed by the university.

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Research findings – young people iNTroDuCTioN

All 56 young people from the 2007 cohort were contacted for the 2010 follow up study and 30 of them (53 percent) were still in the same placement or, in one case, with the same foster carer who had moved to foster for a local authority. The remaining 26 had either returned to live with parents (eight or 14 percent) or moved to local authority care (five or nine percent), or were living independently (four or seven percent), or were subject to a Special Guardianship Order (two or four percent).4 This study, Aspirations Three Years On, focuses on medium to long-term placement care, centering on the 30 young people who are still with the same foster carer. In 2010, of all the 30 placements explored, 20 (66.66 percent) have lasted three or more years and the remaining ten (33.33 percent) for less than three years.

GENDEr, EThNiCiTy AND AGE (n=30)

19 (63 percent) of the 2010 cohort are boys and 11 (37 percent) are girls.

The majority (17 respondents) described themselves as British with the remaining describing themselves as: Welsh (three), African (two), Afghan (one), Asian (one), Caribbean (one), and Middle Eastern (one).5

The average age of the 2010 cohort (27) is 13 years and eight months. In comparison, the average age of the 2007 cohort (56) was 12 years and two months.

Within the 2010 cohort, the largest group of respondents is aged between 15 and 18 years of age (44 percent). 37 percent are aged between 12 and 14 years, and 19 percent are under 11 years of age.

PhySiCAL AND MENTAL hEALTh iSSuES (n=29)6

Four of the 29 young people have a long-standing illness or disability (not described).

Eight of these 29 young people have been referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

Of those eight referred, six are waiting for an appointment and two of the eight are attending CAMHS.

EDuCATioN (n=29)7

All of the young people are attending school.

None of the young people are refusing to attend school.

24 (82 percent) had not been excluded from school for a fixed term in the previous 12 months. Four had been excluded, though are now attending school.

Just one was currently excluded from school.

Seven of the young people have a statement of special needs and 22 were not statemented.

Five of the young people have changed school in the previous 12 months.

26 young people were reported as having a personal education plan.

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The young people’s perspectives – decisionsiNTroDuCTioN

All the young people were asked whether, and to what degree, they are involved in decisions affecting them both at home and about their placement. As Chart 2 illustrates; the majority of all the young people consider that they have ‘a lot of say’ or ‘some say’ about all the potential decision areas. It is an important revelation that nearly all (84 percent) of the young people consider that they have a ‘lot of say’ in deciding they can talk with someone about the big decisions in their life. Significantly, this high response drops when discussing key placement matters (see Chart 2). For example, just 28 percent consider they have a ‘lot of say’ regarding ‘where and when review meetings are held’.

ChArT 2 – iNvoLvEMENT By youNG PEoPLE iN DECiSioNS ABouT ThEir foSTEr CArE (n=30)

When examining just the 12-14 year olds, Chart 3 demonstrates that an even bigger majority have a ‘lot of say’ or ‘some say’ in all the identified decision areas in their life. As the young person gets older, a trend is identified of increasing involvement in all decision making. This trend continues apace in respect of the oldest group aged 15-18 with another significant increase. The obvious exception to this trend are the areas regarding ‘where/when review meetings are held’, ‘which placement decisions are made’ and ‘contact with birth parents’ where there is least involvement. For example, when asked about involvement in decisions about contact with the birth family 58 percent of the young people consider they have either ‘some say’ (29 percent) or ‘no say’ (29 percent). Most of the young people want more contact with their birth family.

Overall, age and the length of time in the placement seem to be the key variables in determining the extent and the level of young people’s involvement in decisions about their foster care.

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ChArT 3 – iNvoLvEMENT By youNG PEoPLE iN DECiSioNS ABouT ThEir foSTEr CArE, By AGE: 12-14 yEArS of AGE (n=10)

Comparing 2010 and 2007 responses about involvement in decision making

Significantly, the young people in 2010 consider themselves to have slightly less say than in 2007 about ‘having friends to come over’ (48 percent compared to 58 percent) and their ‘contact with birth parents’ (42 percent compared with 50 percent). In relation to the latter, this may be that decisions about contact with birth parents are routinely made by the foster carers and others, particularly as the foster placement matures, due to the complex nature of the contact. It may also be that in long term foster care the birth family becomes more marginalised once it becomes more difficult to maintain contact and when there is a realisation that there is no rehabilitation plan.

Without further enquiry, it is difficult to provide a firm explanation as to why 15 percent of the young people felt they had ‘no say’ about friends coming over compared with zero respondents saying they had ‘no say’ in 2007. All of the negative responses came from the 13-15 age range so it is possible that, over the years between studies, the importance of friends coming over became more of an issue.8 What we can say is that ‘contact with family and friends’ is an area of potential tension, with young people wanting more contact than was available or provided.

Overall, the 2010 cohort considers that it has ‘more say’ than in 2007 regarding who they can talk to about big decisions in their life and when they see their social worker. Whether this is simply

a result of the young people being older and more confident in having their say or whether decision-makers have become more inclusive would require further research to establish. There has also been a major development in the roles of Independent Reviewing Officers which may be a contributory factor.

iNvoLvEMENT iN ThEir PLACEMENT DECiSioNS

Of the four placement decision areas, two demonstrated no real difference in how the young people considered their involvement in decision making between 2007 and 2010 cohorts. Additionally, it should be noted that there were half the percentage of responses in 2010 than in 2007 indicating they had ‘no say’ in coming to the placement, suggesting they also have become more rounded in their view and/or more accepting of the decisions that were made. Positively, the number of young people who felt they have ‘a lot of say’ as to whether they remain in the placement or moved on remained consistent between cohorts.

iNvoLvEMENT iN ThEir rEviEW MEETiNGS

The young people believe that they are highly involved in their review meetings with the

notable exception of where and when their review meetings are held, similar to the 2007 results. Nearly half of the cohort (48percent) considered they had ‘no say’ about where and when review meetings were held.

The organisation, planning and participation in review meeting are especially important for looked after young people since their current situation and future plans are discussed, and often decided, at these meetings. Yet we also know of the difficulties the authorities’ can have in consulting young people about their planning and style of decision making. Overall, it is a positive finding that the number of those who considered they have ‘no say’ has diminished significantly since 2007 across all four review meeting question areas.

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CASE STuDy 1 – iNvoLvEMENT iN DECiSioN MAKiNG

‘Elaine’ (not her real name) has had an extremely difficult care history and was initially an emergency placement with TACT. Her background is characterised by numerous foster care placement disruptions and an adoption breakdown. She is now 17 and remains in a long term foster care placement, where she has been for five years. A chaotic and unstable childhood has contributed to some of her difficulties in managing her own behaviour and sustaining meaningful relationships. However, a combination of personal resilience and support from her foster carers has enabled Elaine to enjoy a period of stability.

Since entering TACT care, Elaine has been encouraged to engage in various events. She has attended a number of residential weekends, days out, training, consultation events, including the IFCO 2010 conference and Children’s Champion meetings. Elaine has gained much from these experiences. These opportunities have helped her to develop greater understanding of the care system and how she can participate in the decision making processes. Her social worker has worked with her for 18 months and observed her develop confidence in contributing to her own care planning; evidenced by attending reviews, volunteering information and showing the ability to accept the views of others, even when they may differ to her own.

Elaine is now preparing for her transition to independence. She is currently working alongside TACT and her own local authority social worker to plan and prepare for her move to semi-independent accommodation. Whilst this impending move has generated some anxiety on Elaine’s part, she has taken heed of support and advice to build the foundations for a positive future. In 2010, Elaine secured her Level 1 Diploma in Childcare and has been accepted at a local college to pursue her second year studies.

CASE STuDy 2 – iNvoLvEMENT iN DECiSioN MAKiNG

‘Colin’ was placed with carers, in an emergency placement, in 2005 at the age of eight. His previous placement with another foster family had been disrupted due to threats of violence from his birth family. This was initially a short term placement, but the local authority’s planned match with another family disrupted at the last moment, when they moved to live elsewhere in the UK. Following this, the emergency placement carers were able to come to a difficult decision to continue to care for Colin on a permanent basis. The views of Colin on his future care were instrumental in helping the carers decide to make a long term commitment towards him.

Colin attends a local grammar school where he is making excellent progress and has been fully involved in decision-making. For example, following discussions with his carers regarding career options, Colin decided to take Latin as a second language as he felt this would be useful for his interest in a career in science.

He has maintained contact with his mother with the help and support of his carers, although this remains a difficult area. He contributes fully to his reviews and also has made use of TACT’s annual review for foster carers’ consultation documents to comment on living with his carers. He is clear about his care plan and the decision to remain with his carers until he reaches independence. He has been encouraged to look at his situation objectively leading to an understanding and acceptance that, although he loves his mother and would prefer to live with her, he knows that this is not possible and she would not be able to care for him.

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iNTroDuCTioN

As Chart 4 illustrates, on average 81 percent responded with either ‘excellent’ or ‘good’ regarding different aspects of their schooling, ranging from a high of 100 percent (school attendance) to a low of 55 percent (getting on with exams/tests). These are very positive messages from the young people about how they get on at school, their relationships at school and their schooling. The high levels of school attendance are confirmed by other data from TACT and the foster carers. There are fewer ‘excellent’ and ‘good’ responses regarding ‘behaviour at school’, ‘getting on with exams’ and ‘getting on with homework’. However, these are still overwhelmingly rated as ‘good’.

ChArT 4 – youNG PEoPLE’S viEWS ABouT hoW ThEy GET oN AT SChooL: 2010 (n=27)

The results shown in Chart 4 are extremely positive, especially with reference to critical aspects about attendance, forming friendships and ‘feeling safe and supported’.

In addition, the school decision areas of: how often they attend school, having someone to talk to when they are not feeling well, their friendships with children their age, how safe they feel at school, doing out of school activities, saying how they feel and contributing, feature especially strongly as positive areas.

However, despite the young people’s attendance at school being excellent, the results indicate that the young people are much less confident and capable about their homework and exams.

CoMPAriNG ThE youNG PEoPLE’S 2010 AND 2007 SChooLiNG rESPoNSES

By identifying emerging challenges and examining achievements and progress areas since 2007, one can compare the two cohorts’ responses to schooling.

There are seven areas showing some diminution in their average score, especially ‘getting on with exams/tests’ and ‘getting on with homework’. There are also emerging indications that their relationships with teachers have slightly worsened. The findings suggest that the three ‘challenges’ areas of school performance – exams, homework and teacher/pupil relationships – are linked.

Indeed, when all young people in TACT (TACT, 2009) were asked ‘which area of your life would you most like your foster carers to help you with?’ the majority responded with ‘help with schooling’ (63 percent).

The young people’s perspectives – schooling

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in looking at the areas of achievement since 2007, the following issues stand out:

Chart 5 (below) presents the young people’s achievements (average scores) regarding their schooling since 2007. The figures demonstrate the percentage increase in results from 2007 to 2010, suggesting schooling achievements are all stronger in 2010 than they were in 2007. The higher the percentages; the higher the levels of improvement.

ChArT 5 – AChiEvEMENTS iN SChooLiNG: youNG PEoPLE’S viEWS ABouT hoW ThEy GET oN AT SChooL – 2007 AND 2010 rESPoNSES CoMPArED.

Post 2007, an upward trend is evident in key non-exam areas: ‘contributing more’, ‘making and keeping friends’, ‘having someone to talk to when they are not feeling well’ and ‘taking care of themselves’. The improvement is extremely important as these elements of belonging – contributing, making friends and feeling safe – are essential components of a young person’s resilience make-up, alongside other items such as involvement and feeling valued.

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In the absence of information about this cohort’s examination results, we are not able to make wider comparisons with national educational attainment figures for looked after children. What one can conclude is that these young people attend school regularly, they form and value friendships at school, they know the whereabouts of, and have used, school supports to help them with any difficulties, and they are contributing even more than in 2007.

CASE STuDy 3 – SChooLiNG

‘Andrew’ was placed with his carers in 2003, at the age of nine. He had very challenging behaviour at the time of his emergency placement. Andrew was moved from a residential unit, where he had displayed both violence and aggression as well as an attempt to hang himself. He had a statement of educational needs and had been subject to physical harm at home, which had led to the local authority starting care proceedings. Initial plans to return to his father were unsuccessful, and what was initially a short term foster care placement with TACT was eventually confirmed as a long term arrangement, and Andrew is still with his carers seven years later.

During his placement, he has required considerable child and adolescent mental health services to help him deal with issues in his past, and how that impacts on the present. This has resulted in challenges for Andrew, his carers and his school including fixed term exclusions for violent conduct. There has also been police involvement due to some use of cannabis. Despite this, his carers have been able to provide consistent support and Andrew has taken part in various TACT activities including the Skills 4 Life group. He has achieved a range of educational milestones, which include a foundation course in painting and decorating; BTEC in Sports and four GCSEs in Mathematics, Science, PE and English. He has taken an active part in his reviews. For example, in his last review with the Independent Reviewing Officer, Andrew discussed the agenda and how he would like the meeting conducted. His relationship with his father has been maintained and improved during his period with his carers, and Andrew’s father also attends reviews and plays a part in Andrew’s care and upbringing. Andrew is attending college in 2010 to undertake an IT course. In TACT’s 2010 annual awards, Andrew received an award in the school achievement section which recognised the significant progress he had made in achieving academic success.

SPorT AND ACTiviTiES:

Football, English, sports, reading – I like this because it is so interesting.

P.E. because I like doing sports.

Doing activities, e.g. Football and rugby

Get to do activities that you do not get to do all the time.

Rugby.

P.E. because you are moving and being active which is what I like to do.

Swimming.

P.E. because I love all sports. Drama because I love performing

STuDy fAvouriTES:

History because I like learning about the olden days.

Latin.

Maths is my favourite lesson, I like problem solving.

Improving my English to move on, further education and get good job.

Geography, because I learn about the world.

Art, creative writing, P.E.

TEAChErS:

Teachers as they help you no matter what the problem is.

CrEATivE SuBJECTS:

I like creative ones because they are a lot more interesting for me.

I like doing woodwork at school because I don’t like writing a lot. I prefer practical lessons.

friENDS:

Like going to school to see all my mates.

Lunch time with friends.

Playing on the field with my friends.

CoMBiNED:

Seeing my mates and doing lessons I enjoy.

I like doing woodwork and P.E.

Art, seeing my friends.

Maths, English and history, because I like learning about what has happened in the past and writing stories.

I enjoy sports and I enjoy maths because it is fun.

Maths, Art, PE, Technology.

Figure 1 shows verbatim comments from young people about what they like doing in school. There is a spread of subjects in which the young people are interested and there does not seem to be any clear pattern other than an absence of any interest in science subjects.

fiGurE 1 – youNG PEoPLE’S viEWS ABouT WhAT ThEy LiKE DoiNG MoST AT SChooL

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iNTroDuCTioN

The aim of this section is to discover the strength of connections between the child and family and friends in 2010 and see how these compare with the young people’s answers in 2007. The question sought to explore whether young people’s views about their connections change over time and what this might mean for a young person living in foster care as well as their foster family. The young people were provided with a list of 11 different categories of family and friends, including ‘present foster carer’, ‘birth mum’ and ‘birth father’ and asked if these people were ‘very important’, ‘less important’ or ‘least important’ to them. The young people’s detailed answers are illustrated and summarised in Chart 6 and Table 1.9

Their current foster carer, their brother/sister, best friend, friends, birth mother, other family and grandparents were all identified as ‘very important’ – the highest category offered – by at least 55 percent of respondents. The young people’s current foster carer and their siblings were identified as the two groups attracting the highest percentage; 96 percent and 88 percent of responses respectively. Chart 6 illustrates the young people’s response to the question about their current levels of connection with specific family members, carers and friends.

ChArT 6 – youNG PEoPLE’S viEWS ABouT ThEir CoNNECTioNS WiTh fAMiLy AND friENDS iN 2010 (n=27)

The young people’s perspectives – family and friends

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TABLE 1 – CoNNECTioNS: ThE iMPorTANCE of DiffErENT PEoPLE iN youNG PEoPLE’S LivES

Table 1 shows the importance of different people in the young people’s lives.

CoMMENT

Given the significant importance of connections with existing family and friends, it makes sense, in practice terms, that whenever appropriate, desirable and possible connections with these key people are to be encouraged, sustained and maintained in some way.10

The category identified as the least important was that of ‘the previous carer’ – the same finding as in 2007. Only 12 percent classed their previous carer as being ‘very important’, 33 percent as being ‘less important’ and 55 percent as being ‘least important’. This highlights a significant lack of attachment with previous carers; only the young person’s birth father attracted similar low level answers.

Without knowing the immediate previous placement (due to lack of detailed information available), we do not know the ‘previous carer’ described. However, owing to the fact that the young person is no longer with the ‘previous carer’ it is likely there were problems with the previous placement.

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CoMPAriNG 2007 AND 2010

A lower level of importance is attributed to the birth mother, other family members, previous carer and, noticeably, brother/sister. These findings strongly suggest that the longer their current foster placements continue, the less important previous key relationships become in comparison with their current, more immediate relationships.

The young people’s current foster carer(s) and the child’s brother and/or sister, best friend and friends, which also attracted high responses, are considered especially important people to the young people. The degree of importance varies with each person and each child. Friends outside the house are becoming increasingly significant to these young people compared with their arrival in placement, whether at school or elsewhere.

The growing importance and formation of relationships and friendships outside the foster home are especially important for this group of young people as they are reaching mid-teens. It is also an emerging area of worry for some foster carers, concerned as to whether the young people are forming appropriate relationships.

It is a significant finding that for family members other than ‘birth mum’ and ‘brother and/or sister’, the strength of connection across the three rankings is less pronounced, definite and certain. This may be simply because these young people are currently more out of touch with their relatives due to moves or that there is some ambivalence, because of previous family problems and difficulties. Grandparents were identified as less important than the children’s birth mothers, but still a group that were ‘mid-range’ in terms of importance.

Crucially, a separate study by TACT (2009) notes that when the young people were asked ‘which area of your life would you most like your foster carers to help you with?’, 53 percent stated they wanted help making more contact with their family and 35 percent also wanted help making friends.

These combined findings strongly suggest that the 2010 cohort are facing challenges in the areas of educational attainment and frustrations concerning contact with certain family and friends. They wish for further help from their current foster carer and associated support services to face these challenges.

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iNTroDuCTioN

The aim of this ‘life skills’ section is to identify young people’s responses to a wide range of life skills questions and compare them with their 2007 responses. The young people were offered a five point ranking system across 13 practical life skills items which were developed with TACT and its young people in 2007. Over 60 percent of the respondents ranked the following life skills as either ‘excellent’ or ‘good’. In rank order they are: ‘talking with others’, ‘using a computer’, ‘personal care/ hygiene’, ‘using local services’ and ‘listening skills’.

It is noteworthy that ‘using local services’ was ranked highly. This is an important life skill to develop and use as most of this cohort moves into middle childhood (12–15 years of age). When combined with other life skills that gain high positive responses, namely ‘budgeting’, ‘saving’, ‘listening skills’, ‘personal care and hygiene’ (noted as a problem area for many of this cohort, especially on arrival in placement), these appear to be important and significant findings.

CoMPAriNG LifE SKiLLS 2007 AND 2010 rESPoNSES, By GENDEr

As this cohort gets older, their life skills have mostly improved as one would hope and expect. However, this is not a consistent finding across all listed life skills. For example, whilst household chores skills have increased, with ironing and washing clothes increasing across both genders by 40-60 percent, their skills in saving money and budgeting are not as high as they were in 2007. Perhaps this is to do with them reaching adolescence and their consumer wants and habits increasing. We do not know the explanations for certain without further research.11 Perseverance in life skills is a key issue for all young people; the following case study illustrates the opportunities for looked after children who are encouraged to improve their life skills.

CASE STuDy 4 – LifE SKiLLS

‘Jenny’ and her four siblings came to TACT in 2005 as an emergency placement. Her siblings returned home in 2006, but Jenny was allowed to stay with her TACT carers whilst she completed her GCSEs. When Jenny turned 16, she decided to stay with her foster carers. In 2009, when she became 18, Jenny and her carers arranged for her to stay with them after leaving care, initially on a supported lodgings arrangement, then by a private arrangement. She frequently visits and supports her siblings at home.

Jenny went to sixth form college and completed her NVQ Level 3 in Business Studies and Health and Social Care. She then went onto college and studied Foundation for Health and took a counselling course. She currently does bank work for a residential care home and has recently passed her driving test. She has lots of friends and an active social life. She has completed TACT’s Skills 4 Life work plan and also participated as a mentor in activity weekends. Jenny was also featured in the Quality Matters film project.

The young people’s perspectives – life skills

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iNTroDuCTioN

Activities are important because they can promote a stronger sense of identity, self-esteem, group membership, sense of achievement and life skills. It may well also be the case that for young people, such as many of those in the looked after system, who historically do poorly in formal educational terms, achievements in other arenas take on an especially strong significance.

As Quinton and Rutter conclude (1988, 197):

“ The experience of some form of success, accomplishment, or even just pleasure in activities may be important, not because it dilutes the impact of unpleasant or stressful happenings but because it services to enhance confidence and competence to deal with the hazards of life.”

Success and involvement in activities can prove a turning point in young people’s lives, especially where they provide a pathway out of adversity (Gilligan, 2009, 68). It is widely recognised that

participation in activities should be encouraged for young people regardless of their care status. Recent evidence highlights that the needs of young people in residential care respond well to participation in activities when these are promoted, for example as part of a care plan (Gilligan, 2009).

We invited the young people to respond to the list of twenty one potential activities, also offered to them in 2007, in order to establish whether they undertook these activities at all and whether they undertook them ‘on their own’ (for example playing online computer games) or ‘with others’. Other possible responses were ‘it is not available’ or ‘choose not to do this activity’.12

The study found that the young people engage in a wide range of activities and games both with their foster family and, increasingly, outside the home with friends. ‘Days out’, ‘computer games’, ‘swimming’, ‘hanging out with friends’, ‘cycling,’ ‘Playstation’, ‘reading’ and ‘football’ were the most popular activities attracting at least 20 replies from the 27 young people.13 Chart 7 shows the twelve most popular activities.

The young people’s perspectives – activities

ChArT 7 – ThE TWELvE MoST PoPuLAr ACTiviTiES iN WhiCh youNG PEoPLE PArTiCiPATE (n=27)

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This study’s findings reveal a fairly even spread of activities between those that the young people undertake ‘mainly on their own’ and those they undertake ‘mainly with others.’ The social function of activities is crucial to young people’s, and indeed adults’, development. There is strong evidence from this survey of high and continued interest in activities, predominantly those undertaken with others, but also those undertaken on one’s own. Interestingly, no obvious gender differences were highlighted, probably because the list of activities was widely cast and was consciously not limited to physical sports.14

The activities that the young people ‘choose not to do’ include, in order: cadets (20 young people) closely followed by playing a musical instrument, chess, scouts/guides/cubs, church/religious place, creative writing, singing, dancing, art and drawing. The following activities were not available to between 25 percent-50 percent of the young people: chess, scouts/guides etc, church, dancing, art and drawing.

CoMPAriNG 2007 AND 2010

Potentially isolated activities such as caring for pets, art, drawing, and reading are less popular now than in 2007. Conversely the more popular activities in 2010 are what might be described as the more sociable, namely days out, swimming and hanging out with friends; reflective of the majority reaching mid-teens. The next case study shows the opportunities and confidence in other key life areas that can be gained from getting involved in a range of activities.

CASE STuDy 5 – iNvoLvEMENT iN ACTiviTiES

‘Harold’ came into TACT’s care as an unaccompanied asylum seeker in 2004 from Somalia and he spent four years in a stable long term foster care placement. Throughout Harold’s time in TACT’s care, he has taken part in TACT’s activities for young people. This includes a range of annual activity events and TACT’s Children’s Champions group, where he was filmed as part of a ‘good practice’ initiative for the Quality Matters. He attended TACT’s Skills 4 Life group in 2006 and successfully completed a three year advanced diploma course in engineering.

He now lives independently and is employed by TACT as a mentor, regularly speaking at TACT’s Children’s Champions meetings and taking part in presentations at events such as the International Foster Care Organisation’s conference. Harold also took part in two activity weekends during August 2010, assisting to help younger children develop self confidence skills. He received an award at TACT’s annual awards ceremony in 2010 for taking part in a sky diving event to raise money for TACT. Harold is currently undertaking a four year Aero-Space Technology and Aero Pilot studies course to achieve his dream of becoming a pilot.

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iNTroDuCTioN

The young people were asked the question ‘If you could make three wishes about making things better for you living where you are, what would these be?’ There were no fixed options provided and the young people could write whatever they wanted. There were eight areas that emerged. These were, in order of most frequent occurrence: connections with family/friends, freedom/independence, money, self development/awareness, education/aspirations, health and sport and travel.

Here are a few quotations from the young people about making things better, starting with the connections and family/friends.

CoNNECTioNS WiTh fAMiLy/friENDS

I wish my brothers could be more behaved

I would like my friends to live nearer

I would like to be back living with my (birth) mother

To be able to see my Mum for longer.

Make all my family members able to look after me

Have contact with family

For my father to get along with people

To continue to feel safe and loved as I am now.

Living nearer more friends

Is very happy being fostered with good people.

For my mother to have money

My living here with my foster carers has been very positive; I feel I have got extended family. I have a say in all decision making, I feel I am part of the family

Next here are some quotations from the young people about wanting more independence

frEEDoM/iNDEPENDENCE

To have a free bus pass would make my life better

To have a bit more freedom

Have more say in things

Be more independent

Not to have the social workers involved in every activity I take part in.

Have more freedom and privacy

Later bed times.

More things to do at weekends

The young people’s perspectives – making things better

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Research findings – the foster carers’ perspectivesiNTroDuCTioN

A separate questionnaire was devised for foster carers to give their perspective on any changes in the young person they are fostering. The questionnaire was answered by 53 foster carers. In order to achieve this ambitious aim, the questionnaire was designed so that the foster carers had sight of the answers that they:

had originally provided in 2007 of their assessment of the health and wellbeing of their foster child when first placed with them prior to 2007.

gave of their assessment regarding any changes in that young person in 2007.

These assessments took the form of two different rankings.

The first ‘situation on arrival’ rankings about the child on arrival in placement was a ranking from ‘excellent’ through to ‘good’, ‘OK’, ‘some problems’ and ‘a challenge.’

The second ‘situation since arrival’ rankings ranged from ‘improved a lot’ through to ‘improved a little’, ‘remained the same’ to ‘worsened a little’ and ‘worsened a lot.’

For comparative purposes, each foster carer was provided with the same ten health and wellbeing dimensions used in the 2007 study namely: ‘physical health’, ‘mental health’, ‘education’, ‘personal identity’, ‘ethnic and cultural identity’, ‘social relationships’, ‘social presentation’, ‘emotional and behavioural development’, ‘self care’ and ‘participating with others of the same age’ (e.g. organising things, games etc). This enabled snapshots to be taken of the foster carers’ views of the current health and wellbeing of the young people and compare their answers with their previous ones.

The data about the young people’s situation on arrival in placement, as seen by their foster carers, provides a timely and sobering reminder of the health and wellbeing problems of these young people. The majority of responses about the young people’s situation on arrival, be it education, health, social presentation, self care or self identity indicated ‘some problems’ or being ‘a challenge’ as opposed to ‘good’ or ‘excellent’.

The ten health and wellbeing categories have been subdivided into two groups of five: those which scored the higher ranked answers ‘on arrival in placement’ and those which scored the lower ranked answers. The higher scoring categories were ethnic identity, personal identity, physical health, mental health and education.

fiNDiNGS

The following two charts, Chart 8 and 9, summarise foster carers’ responses to the five highest ranked ‘on arrival’ health and wellbeing areas. Chart 8 represents the five highest ranked health and wellbeing areas at the time of the young person’s arrival in placement. Chart 9 shows the differences in the young people’s health and wellbeing between 2007 and 2010, as observed by the foster carers.

The question foster carers were asked was ‘What is your assessment of your young person’s current situation regarding his/her health and wellbeing in respect of [cited dimension]?’ They were then provided with the ranking they gave for that young person both on arrival in placement and in 2007 and asked to provide a current ranking. They were also invited to write comments about their responses.

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ChArT 8 – foSTEr CArErS’ viEWS of youNG PEoPLE’S hEALTh AND WELL BEiNG: hiGhEST rANKED hEALTh AND WELL BEiNG ArEAS oN ArrivAL iN PLACEMENT (n=24)

ChArT 9 – foSTEr CArErS’ viEWS of youNG PEoPLE’S hEALTh AND WELL BEiNG: CoMPAriNG 2007 AND 2010 fiNDiNGS of hiGhEST rANKED hEALTh AND WELL BEiNG ArEAS (n=24)

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Comparing how the young people were perceived on arrival in placement and how they were in 2007, their situations have largely ‘improved a lot’. However in 2010, whilst their situations have improved further since 2007, the young people were more likely to have ‘improved a little’ than ‘improved a lot’.

The lowest placed ‘on arrival’ health and wellbeing rankings – ‘participation with others’, ‘self presentation’, ‘self care’, ‘behaviour and relationships’ – scored at the lower end of improvements between 2007 and 2010.

hEALTh AND WELL BEiNG TrENDS ovEr TiME

An important part of the study was to compare the young people’s situations, as ranked by their foster carers, at three points in time: on arrival in placement, in 2007 and in 2010. The key finding is that across all of the ten dimensions none of the average scores for all of the group have worsened and all have improved both since their placement began and since 2007. What can be seen is that there is less improvement overall between 2007 and 2010 than between arrival and 2007.

It is a positive discovery that there have been further improvements in the young people’s health and wellbeing, overall, since 2007. However, for the highest rated ‘on arrival’ health and wellbeing areas, shown in Chart 8, there were greater changes between their arrival in the placement and 2007 than between 2007 and 2010. Table 2 presents the raw data about health and wellbeing trends over time in which the 2010 increment (i.e. from 2007 to 2010) is consistently slightly lower than for 2007.

TABLE 2 – hEALTh AND WELL BEiNG iNDiCATorS: foSTEr CArErS viEWS ABouT youNG PEoPLE, oN ArrivAL, iN 2007 AND 2010

CoMMENT

What is not clear from the data alone is whether this post 2007 ‘plateauing out’ indicates a genuine slowing down of improvements or that more incremental changes are not picked up on so readily in 2010 in comparison to shortly after a placement begins. Similarly, at the beginning of foster care placements, young people’s health and wellbeing are more to the forefront of concerns and have to be acted on for the placement to be sustained. One possible explanation is that the pace of change does slow down as placements continue and as young people and their foster carers adapt to each other’s expectations, behaviours and norms.

The highest ranking changes between 2007 and 2010 are for the following five dimensions: ethnic identity, personal identity, physical health, mental health, and education.

Here are quotations from some of the foster carers about their young person’s identity.

He is streetwise and can handle himself. He is well liked and known in our community and embraces that. He is in touch with his feminine side and associates with females well.

Her confidence has improved and she has matured a lot.

He knows who he is and where he comes from.

Accepts who he is and where he lives and why.

No problems.

next here are quotations from some foster carers about the young people’s education.

Improved in his education and overall his health is OK.

Enjoys school and being more independent.

She does as little as possible even though encouraged. Ongoing problem.

He excels at his education.

Very disruptive in lessons he doesn’t enjoy: does show potential.

Came from an E.B.D. Unit, now thriving in an ordinary comprehensive school.

He has tried a lot harder in this final year.

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The lowest ranking changes between 2007 and 2010 are for the remaining five dimensions; self care, participating with others of same age, self presentation, behaviour, and relationships.

Here are quotations from some foster carers about the young people’s relationships:

She finds it easy to make friends, but unfortunately will find one friend and then disregard them for a better friend! We feel she makes “false attachments”.

He had trouble with social relationships and was poorly dressed (due to no fault of his own). He still struggles to make relationships now and hasn’t really got a best friend. He has a terrible fear of anyone knowing he is fostered and I feel this stops him interacting.

She has struggled with social relations. Her social skills are being worked on with the help of school, play therapist and home.

Social life is the same; same activities, friends, routine every week.

Still not confident to ask friends home, but integrates well in social settings.

Enjoys grown ups company, ours in particular. This young person is easily led by others in his peer group. Can show emotions but not often enough.

Has a really good relationship with family and friends.

She has had good friends since Year 7, she is thriving all the time.

She is a very sociable person.

He still has difficulty making real friendships; he is unable to differentiate between friends and children who take advantage of him.

youNG PEoPLE’S iNvoLvEMENT iN DECiSioNS AT hoME

According to the foster carers, the young people are seen as being more fully and regularly involved in decision making at home and school than in the community and other settings. The most likely explanation for this is that the young people spend less time in the social settings outside home and school.

Chart 10 illustrates the foster carers’ responses, in rank order, showing most involvement (school) through to the areas with least involvement (community) at the bottom of the chart.

ChArT 10 – foSTEr CArErS’ viEWS ABouT youNG PEoPLE’S iNvoLvEMENT iN DECiSioN MAKiNG (n=22)

However, one could speculate that because they are less involved in decision making in these settings (permissions to attend, travelling to local groups, joining in, and being away from home with friends and groups), they spend less time in them.

When foster carers provided comments about the young people, the greatest number of comments made were about schooling, home and relationships, which were the very same key areas identified by the young people.

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DiffErENCES BETWEEN ThoSE PLACEMENTS WhiCh WErE iNiTiALLy EMErGENCy PLACEMENTS AND ThoSE ThAT WErE PLANNED

Overall, 62 percent (19) of the placements were initially emergency placements and 38 percent (11) planned. It is interesting to explore whether the responses differ, significantly or otherwise, as a result of, or associated with the original placement being an emergency or planned placement. This will be examined in terms of the following topics: living in the family; schooling; connections with family, and health and well being. Information about initial placement type was known about 90 percent-93 percent (27 or 28) of the sample of 30.

AGE

The average age for initial planned placement was 12.5 years. The average age of those for whom initially the placement was an emergency was ten years. There were twice as many emergency placements for under 14s (ten) than for planned placements and three times the number of 15-18 year olds in planned placements (nine) than for emergency placements.

LiviNG iN ThE fAMiLy

Table 3 highlights the response of the young person’s views about whether they had a ‘lot of say’, ‘some say’ and ‘no say’.

TABLE 3 – LiviNG iN ThE fAMiLy – youNG PEoPLE’S viEWS

SChooLiNG

Below are the young people’s responses regarding schooling. The five answer options were either ‘excellent’, ‘good’, ‘average’, ‘below average’ or ‘I need help with this’. It is worth noting that the emergency group is overall younger than the planned placement group.

TABLE 4. SChooLiNG – youNG PEoPLE’S viEWS

Here it can be seen that the initial ‘planned placement’ group see themselves as doing significantly better at school in the three areas listed in the table than those initially in emergency placements.

CoNNECTioNS WiTh fAMiLy AND friENDS

Table 5 notes the perceived connections between the young people and their family and friends. The full options offered were ‘very important’, less important’ and ‘least important’. Again, it is worth noting that the emergency group is on average two and a half years younger than the planned placement group.

TABLE 5. CoNNECTioNS – youNG PEoPLE’S viEWS

There are clear and important differences about connections between the two groups. Comparatively, the ‘planned placement group’ view their previous carer and their friends and best friends as much more important. By contrast, those in an emergency placement viewed their contact and relationship with their birth mother as more important than those in the planned placement group.

Emergency and planned placements compared

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hEALTh AND WELLBEiNG

Finally let us turn to the key issue of health and wellbeing on arrival in placement. The response options offered were ‘excellent’, ‘good’, ‘OK, ‘some problems’ and ‘a challenge’. In the table, those assessed as ‘excellent’ or ‘good’ are highlighted.

TABLE 6. hEALTh AND WELLBEiNG – foSTEr CArErS’ viEWS

It can be clearly seen that on arrival in placement, and across the health and wellbeing areas listed, the ‘emergency’ group responses were rated significantly lower than the ‘planned’ group.15

Overall, there is a significant range of differences between the two groups. These are not explained simply by age differences, but suggest a range of practice and policy implications about assessment and ongoing monitoring and targeting of resources. This is relevant to all children in foster care with TACT and particularly for those initially placed in an emergency placement. For these children, the journey towards improved health and wellbeing, education, connections with family and friends and involvement in decisions at home is likely to be more taxing.

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ThE youNG PEoPLE’S viEWS

This study has focused on and recorded young people’s views about being in foster care in 2010 and compared these with their views, and those of their foster carers, from 2007 and on their arrival in placement. It was designed to establish if, and how, young people are involved in decisions inside and outside their foster home and to examine their health and wellbeing over time. It has been a study of 30 children in longer term foster placements with 17 (or 60 percent) having been in placement between two and four years, 12 (or 37 percent) for over four years and one (or three percent) or less than one year. Significantly, the research has found that these young people continue to thrive in these placements, attend school regularly, and feel well supported by their foster carers.

ThEir iNvoLvEMENT iN DECiSioNS

85 percent of the young people consider that they have ‘a lot of say’ (49 percent) or ‘some say’ (36 percent) about all the decision areas offered to them. Just 15 percent consider themselves to have ‘no say’ in decisions. It is an especially important finding that a substantial majority (84 percent) of the young people consider that they have a ‘lot of say’ in deciding who they can talk with about the big decisions in their life. However, significantly, the overall high response decreases regarding their involvement in key placement matters.

Overall, the young people consider themselves to have slightly ‘less say’ in 2010 than in 2007 about ‘having friends to come over’ and their ‘contact with birth parents’. In relation to the latter, this may well be to do with the foster placement ‘maturing’ and the young people not wanting so much birth parent contact or it could be that decisions about any contact with birth parents are routinely made by the foster carers and others. It may also be that having friends come over is more of an issue for teenagers in that they make more requests attracting more refusals. Further research is needed to explore this.

Significantly, the young people believe that they are highly involved in their review meetings with the notable exception, as in 2007, of where and when their review meetings are held. Nearly half of the cohort (48 percent) considered they had ‘no say’ about where and when review meetings were held. It could be the case that professionals do not always fully consider or are able to accommodate young people’s views when making review decisions. Similarly, it could be that a high proportion of young people in care do not feel in control of their lives and confident in making decisions on their own. This suggestion has been found to be the case in another study, noting that the young people in care wanted further help and support with their decision making (DCSF, 2010).

The young person’s age and length of time in the placement seem to be the key variables in determining the extent and the level of their involvement in decisions about their foster care.

ThEir SChooLiNG AND EDuCATioN

The vast majority of the young people in this study (81 percent) consider that they are predominantly either ‘excellent’, or ‘good’ regarding all the 14 elements of their schooling listed. These are very positive messages from the young people about how they get on at school, their relationships at school, feeling safe at school, and their schooling. Nevertheless, and despite high levels of school attendance, there are significantly less ‘excellent’ and ‘excellent/good’ responses about ‘behaviour at school’, and, in particular, about ‘getting on with exams’ and ‘getting on with homework’.

What the schooling data shows is that despite the young people’s exemplary levels of school attendance, and indeed overall improvements in their health and wellbeing, the young people remain less confident and capable about their homework and exams. This points to a complex relationship between improvements in the health and wellbeing of looked after children, their schooling and their educational attainment, as raised by Berridge et al (2008).

In comparing the young people’s 2010 and 2007 schooling responses, there are seven areas showing some diminishing in terms of average scores. These are predominantly minor except for the areas of ‘getting on with exams/tests’ and ‘getting on with homework’. There are also emerging indications that their relationships with teachers have slightly worsened. The findings suggest that these three challenging areas of school performance, exams/homework and teacher-pupil relationships are linked. The young people indicate that they want more help with their schooling from their foster carers.

In respect of the other important social and socialisation aspects of school, the young people are making further improvements post-2007. It is crucial that they are ‘contributing more’, ‘making and keeping friends’, ‘having someone to talk to when they are not feeling well’ and ‘taking care of themselves’. These are not only positive but highly significant findings. Other research (Aldgate, 1999 or Sinclair et al 2005) indicates that the school setting is potentially the most important learning environment in which children achieve, grow and succeed. This is especially true if they are happy there, have supportive relationships and feel safe. As such, these schooling findings are important for the young people and for TACT to build on and hopefully reverse the emerging trend of declining confidence by these young people in taking exams. This is a crucial time for these young people as they move towards and beyond GCSEs.

In the absence of comprehensive education data about all the young people in this study, we cannot be certain about educational attainment levels and the extent of possible attainment problems. Nevertheless the data suggests an underlying problem, dating back to their arrival in placement, with many of the young people’s studying, undertaking exams and attainment levels. This finding contrasts markedly with the young people’s positive expressed views about school, relationships and friendships, and their foster carer’s accounts of their high level of school attendance. It also highlights an issue for TACT and local

summary of findings and discussion

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authorities regarding the collection of comprehensive and up-to-date information about educational attainment levels at the time of placement and in subsequent years.

ThEir CoNNECTioNS WiTh fAMiLy AND friENDS

In terms of the current most important relationships in their life, the young people easily identified their current foster carer as well as their own brother/sister as the ‘most important’ relationship in their life and their relationship with their previous carer as the ‘least important’. These, and the other ‘connections’ findings, strongly suggest that the longer a foster placement continues the less important previous key relationships become, including those with the young person’s birth mother, other family members and indeed previous carers. It is not that those relationships are unimportant; it is that they seem less important than they were, in comparison with their relationship with their current carer. It is also likely that the young people will have had very little, if any, contact with their previous carer, possibly for good reason. However, this reinforces and legitimises emotional, if not physical breaks, with their previous carer.

Yet given the significant importance of connections with existing family and friends, it makes sense in practice terms that whenever appropriate, desirable and possible, connections with these key people are encouraged, sustained and maintained in some way. Also the growing importance and formation of relationships and friendships outside the foster home are especially important for this group of young people as they are reaching their mid-teens. It is also an emerging area of concern for some foster carers here, i.e. whether the young people are forming appropriate relationships.

These combined findings strongly suggest that the 2010 cohort are facing challenges in the areas of educational attainment and contact with family and friends, and that they wish for further help about these key issues from their current foster carer and associated support services.

Although a high proportion of the young people indicate that they want more contact with their birth parents and some family members, the management of contact can often be complex and problematic. There is also evidence elsewhere that if, and when, greater contact eventually leads to the child returning home in their teens, and their family home remains unchanged, they do worse in terms of education than if they remain in their current mid to long term foster care placement until 18 (Sinclair et al, 2005, 65).

ThEir LifE SKiLLS AND ACTiviTiES

The young people appear to be developing a range of age appropriate life skills. However, as the young people are entering their mid-teens the issue of them getting away from home more, either on their own or not, to see friends and meet new ones, is likely to feature as a concern for foster carers, as it would do for any parent or carer.

The research shows that young people engage in a wide range of activities and games, both with their foster family and with friends. The findings reveal a fairly even spread of activities between those that the young people undertake ‘mainly on their own’ and those they undertake ‘mainly with others’. The social function of activities is crucial to young people’s, and indeed adults’, development and there is strong evidence from this survey of high and continued interest.

In terms of the young people’s three wishes for their future, the most popular themes were: improved connections with family and friends, greater independence, the need for greater self development/awareness, and improvements in their education.

ThE foSTEr CArErS’ viEWS

The ten health and wellbeing dimensions foster carers were asked about were: physical health, mental health, education, ethnic and cultural identity, social relationships, social presentation, emotional and behavioural development and participating with others of a similar age. An important part of the study was to compare the young people’s situations, as ranked by their foster carers, at three points in time: on arrival in placement, 2007 and 2010.

The key finding is that across all of the ten young people’s health and wellbeing dimensions all have improved, both since their placement began and since 2007, and none of the average scores have worsened. What we can also clearly see is that there is less improvement overall between 2007 and 2010, suggesting the pace of change is slower.

The highest ranking health and wellbeing areas which have improved between 2007 and 2010 are for the following five dimensions: ethnic identity, personal identity, physical health, mental health and education.

The lowest ranking health and wellbeing areas which have improved between 2007 and 2010 are for the remaining five dimensions, namely: self care, participating with others of same age, self presentation, behaviour and relationships.

It is a positive finding that, overall, there continue to be reported improvements in the young people’s health and wellbeing since 2007. However, for the highest rated ‘on arrival’ health and wellbeing areas, there were greater changes between their arrival in the placement and 2007 than between 2007 and 2010.

Some comparisons were also made between those young people who were initially placed in foster care with TACT as an emergency placement and those where the placement was planned. The latter group was, on average, two and a half years older than those where the placement was an emergency. For those initially placed in an emergency, the evidence, whilst limited, suggests that their ‘life journey’ is likely to be more taxing since it starts, comparatively speaking, from a lower base-line; i.e. there is more catching up to do for this group.

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DiSCuSSioN

The evidence presented here suggests that the positive and improving health and wellbeing outcomes for these young people are associated with them being content living with their foster family for several years, valuing their foster family, and feeling safe, cared for and supported. The length and stability of the current placement provides a strong indicator of their positive health and wellbeing outcomes. This finding is one confirmed in other foster care research. For example, Sinclair et al (2005, 63) also found that the length of the current placement was a much more reliable indicator of health and wellbeing outcomes than a young person’s initial placement.

Whilst foster carer and child matching is not the subject of this study, Schofield’s description of two foster carer types (foster carers as carers until 18 or foster carers as more family inclusive parents) is helpful in raising important questions here about the selection and recruitment of foster carers and their matching, by carer type, with the child’s care and parenting needs at placement (Schofield, 2010).

Overall, to provide greater permanence in foster care requires a reduction in placement breakdown, something which is easier said than done. Research suggests that what are required are the abilities to:

handle disturbed attachment behaviours from the young person fostered which can otherwise alienate the carer and lead to a vicious circle of mutual rejection

minimise interference from birth parents with the placement especially with reference to those who cannot easily tolerate their child being with them or away from them

enable the child to come to a modus operandi with their parents so that they are not torn in their own minds between yearning and rejection

enable the child to adjust to school and enjoy him/her self.

(Sinclair et al, 2005, 146)

In terms of the young people’s involvement in decision making, they consider themselves to be more fully and regularly involved in decision making at home and school than in the community or other settings. The most likely explanation for this is that the young people spend less time in these settings in comparison with home and school. The reverse could also be true, namely that it is because they are less involved in decision making in these settings (permissions to attend, travelling to local groups, joining in, and being away from home with friends and groups) that they spend less time in them. This observation underlines a key element about young people’s involvement in foster care decision making, specifically that such involvement is guided, even dictated, by the attitude of the foster carer and professionals at least as much as the capacity and willingness of the young person to become involved.

As has been detailed in the study, the key finding about young people’s involvement in decision making, especially those over

11 years of age, is that both within and beyond the foster carers’ home the majority of young people feel fully or mostly involved in key decision areas in their life and feel they can talk to people about the big decisions in their lives. There also remain key areas where the young people are less involved in decisions or, at least, have less say about the decisions that are taken. These include review meetings, placement decisions and frequency of contact with their birth family. The findings regarding less frequent contact between the young people and their birth family, about wanting more contact and being asked their views about placement issues are confirmed by other research studies based on the views of children in care (e.g. Ofsted, 2010).

In TACT, there is a high premium placed on young people’s involvement and participation at various structured activity and educational events organised by TACT. Conversely, the reported relative lack of involvement by young people about reviews and placement planning might lead TACT to look at alternative ways and methods that young people can become more involved. The research raises questions about the purpose of participation and how best to evaluate its contribution and identify its limitations. The importance for TACT of routinely recording all education results, exam attendance and SATs, GCSEs and ‘A’ level results has already been flagged up. Some of this information is already available so it is important that these foundations are built upon. The use of improving and successful education case studies within TACT could also inform future training. Noticeably, the young people are aware of their education situation and want more help from their foster carers.

We observed earlier that there were some differences in outcome between those young people who were first placed in an emergency placement at TACT and those for whom the placement was planned. Indeed, there were a sufficient range of differences between the two groups (not explicable by age differences alone) to suggest additional strategic practice and policy implications. These might involve additional ongoing assessments, monitoring and resource targeting for the emergency placement group by TACT. In addition, it is vital that these emergency placements, once settled, are not then further disadvantaged by their placement in TACT being unnecessarily disrupted by local authorities wanting the young person to return to local authority foster care due to financial reasons. A further follow-up research study of this core group of young people, and one which would use more qualitative research methods, especially interviews, is at the planning stage.

LooKiNG To ThE fuTurE

Overall then, the young people and their foster carers in this study are very positive about how the young people’s health and wellbeing is developing and the evidence presented here supports those views. To continue evidencing this upward trend, and also to check out any emerging problems, the introduction of regular health and wellbeing ‘check-ups’ would be a positive practical step forward for TACT. This would enable a closer eye to be kept on both achievements and possible emerging challenges. It could also trigger good practice action points for foster carers and others.

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In addition, it would be extremely helpful for any new strategic management and policy changes to carry impact evaluations.

At a national and more strategic level it is almost certain that the care system will continue to be under considerable demand, supply and financial pressures. Higher demand for care places, combined with shortages of both foster carers and other appropriate placements, exacerbate this national issue. In such a climate, providers such as Independent Fostering Providers and non-relative foster alternatives such as kinship care and Special Guardianship Orders are likely to become increasingly important

referencesBerridge, D, Dance, C, Beecham, J and Field, S (2009) Educating difficult adolescents: effective education for children in public care or with behavioural difficulties, Jessica Kingsley, London

Bradley, D (2010) Children and young people’s survey, TACT, London

Broad, B (1998) Young people leaving care, Jessica Kingsley, London

Broad, B (2005) Improving the health and well being of young people leaving care, Russell House, Dorset

Broad, B (2008) Aspirations: the views of foster children and their carers, TACT, London

CYPN (2010) ‘A care system at breaking point?’ article in Children in Care: the challenges ahead, Children and Young People Now, May 2010, 5-6

DCSF (2008) Every Child Matters Outcomes Framework, 2008, http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/about/aims/outcomes/outcomescyp/

DCSF (2009) Care Matters: Ministerial Stocktake Report 2009, DCSF, London

DCSF, (2010) Aspirations of children in care, Customer Voice, wave 9, DCSF, London

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Authorities in England, as at 31 March 2010, DfE/National Statistics, London

Gilligan, R (2009), Promoting resilience: supporting children and young people who are in care, adopted or in need, BAAF, London

Goodyer, A (2009) A study of children’s experiences of becoming and being a foster child, unpublished doctoral thesis, Institute of Education, University of London

OFSTED (2010) Children’s messages on care 2010 A report by the Children’s Rights Director for England, OFSTED, London

Quinton, D and Rutter, M (1988) Parenting breakdown: the making and breaking of inter-generational links, Avebury, Aldershot

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1 The importance of the views of the child and the parents is also one of the five basic principles of Part 3 of the CYPA 1989.

2 For the current (2010) study it was decided not as we had done in 2007, to ask the foster carers’ for their views of the supports they received from TACT because TACT undertakes its own surveys of these matters and had recently asked foster carers about this very same topic.

3 It is planned to conduct interviews for the next phase of this longitudinal study. A new management information system (replacing ‘Softbox’) was installed in TACT in early 2010 and since this was not up and running at the time this study was conducted of this study it was not possible to use data gathered by it.

4 There were a further seven cases (13 percent) where the replies were either incomplete or ‘not known’.

5 Information was not provided about the ethnicity of four young people.

6 Information was not available in one case.

7 Education information was not provided in one case.

8 There was certainly no evidence of any particular behavioural issues for those 15 percent indicating they had ‘no say’ that might have provided a contributory reason.

9 In this chart each column is ordered according to their relative position on a scoring system where each reply of “least important” scored zero, “less important” scored one; “very important” scored two. Each score was then divided by their total number of responses.

10 This is not to say that the importance of those other relationships; with aunt/uncle or previous carer, or birth father are not also important to the young people.

11 Other differences between 2007 and 2010 are so small, percentage-wise to make them of little significance.

12 The full list of activities offered were; swimming, football, hanging out with friends, caring for pet(s), art, dancing, cadets, music instrument, creative instrument, creative writing, chess, singing, drawing, tennis, outdoor pursuits, computer games, play station, scouts/guides/cubs, church/religious place/group, days out, reading, and cycling.

13 All the rankings, to varying degrees, are affected by the proportion of boys (63 percent) to girls (37 percent) in the study. So whilst accepting that young women also play football the relatively high ranking of football (eighth) played by the boys may help to explain its position.

14 See Coleman and Scofield ‘ Key data on adolescence’ (TSA, 2001) for more analysis of gender and physical activities.

15 In relation to the other issues examined namely ‘participation at school,’ ‘life skills’ and ‘involvement in activities’ the slightly older age profile for the planned placement group than the emergency group explained the different findings (for example participating in decisions) and are not explored further here. Furthermore other potential differences between the two groups namely gender and ethnicity were marginal explanatory variables.

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notes

Aspirations Three Years On: the views of young people who are fostered and their carers

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