Research funded by the Department of Health ‘What Happened Next’ (2014) has examined decision-making for children in care proceedings and has found that:
- Decisions made in care proceedings can contribute to reducing the odds of poor developmental outcomes for ‘maltreated’ (sic) children.
- Substitute families and apparent changes in birth families were associated with improvements in the children’s relationships and adaptation.
- After care proceedings, children remain exceptionally vulnerable due to the impact of early harm and their complex attachment histories.
- Problems in emotional regulation and with learning persist and are not significantly reduced by changes in caregiving environment.
- Most children continue to experience difficulties, particularly in relation to their ability to tolerate frustration and control impulses, and in coping with stressful events.
- Insufficient investment in children from relevant services following proceedings.
- Need for support and services to become systematically more remedial and therapeutic in practice.
The research is worth reading in full. Reference: Mulcahy, G., Badger, J., Wright, H., & Erskine, C. (2014). ‘What happened next’: a study of outcomes for maltreated children following care proceedings. Adoption & Fostering, 38(4), 314-330.
Good practice guidance for IROs, social workers and Cafcass practitioners already exists.
Download at source: Good Practice Guidance for Social Work practised in the Family Courts
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