Researching young people’s outcomes in children’s services: Findings from a longitudinal study

Abstract

• Summary: This article reports findings from a longitudinal study of outcomes for a sample of children who had become, or who were considered at risk of becoming looked after. Using a multi-case study design, two stages of the project are reported here. In Stage One, information was gathered from and relating to 21 young people. In Stage Two, semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 32 social workers, and 31 parents and carers regarding 52 children. Eleven of these young people also volunteered to be interviewed. Standardized measures were utilized including the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, Adolescent Well-Being Scale, and Rosenberg Self-Esteem and Self-Efficacy scale. • Findings: The study highlights the need for preventive multi-agency work with families with multiple risk factors and the importance of education and children’s social care working co-operatively together on behalf of children in need. The study demonstrates the ongoing challenges in providing low level emotional therapeutic work, building on young people’s prosocial relationships with peers, and finding effective ways of improving children’s self esteem and self efficacy. In this local authority children did not feel routinely involved in decision-making. Placement stability, meeting the short and longer-term needs of all placed children, and addressing the needs of foster carers and residential children’s home staff, also presented challenges. • Application: The study highlights the importance of the organizational context when meeting young people’s needs, including strong leadership, quality assurance, ongoing assessment and focused interventions.