An international review highlights major gaps in research on children in care, with little evidence on identity and participation in later life.
The study, led by Swansea University, analysed 77 review papers covering research from 48 countries. It aimed to show what is known about children in foster care, kinship care and residential homes.
Researchers, who partnered with parents and care experienced young people from the CASCADE Voices advisory group, looked on five main areas including, health and emotional wellbeing, safety and legal protection, education, living standards and identity and belonging.
Most studies focused on mental health, behaviour and day-to-day living conditions. But other crucial areas, including identity and civic participation – things like feeling respected and having a say in decision – were often neglected.
Other clear gaps included bullying, deaths among children in care and whether children are ready to start school.
When it comes to safety, research focused more on children’s offending behaviour than on whether they came victims of crime.
Richmond Opoku, lead author and researcher at Swansea University, explained: ‘Research into children in care has grown significantly, but it remains fragmented. By mapping this evidence, we can see exactly what is missing—particularly around identity, participation, and the wider community influences that are vital for a child’s long-term future.’
The study also looked at what affects outcomes for children. Placement type and quality of care were often mentioned, along with children’s personal characteristics and relationships with family and carers.
However, community factors, such as neighbourhoods where children live, were rarely studied.
Senior author Dr Tash Kennedy, from the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science, added: ‘To truly support children in care, we need a complete picture of their lives, from their sense of identity to how they participate in their communities. By gathering this high-quality data, we can build the evidence base needed to improve long-term policy and practice.’
The research is part of the CARELINK Wales project, led by HDR UK Wales. Partners include Bangor University, Public Health Wales, Cardiff University and the University of Manchester, with support from ADR Wales and the Centre for Population Health.
The full research can be read here.
Image: Random Thinking/UnSplash
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