Understanding the mental health needs of mothers who have experienced, or are at risk of experiencing, repetitive court proceedings.
Lead Research Organisation:
University College London
Department Name: Epidemiology and Public Health
Abstract
Over the past 10 years in England there has been a rise in the number of children placed in custody of the state, with numbers reaching over 75,000 as of March 2018. Such child removal procedures cause untold distress to parents, children and extended networks, and place exceptional demands on services. Research investigating care orders tends to focus on effected children and often fails to explore experiences and outcomes of birth parents, particularly mothers. Understanding the lifecourse health needs of birth mothers is essential for bettering infant/mother outcomes and preventing recurrent care proceedings. Women who lose their children to custody of the state have often experienced significant and multiple adverse life events, including domestic violence, substance misuse and mental health problems. The needs of this population are complex, and the additional impact of losing a child to the care system generates further concern. After proceedings, Children's Social Care support systems often fall away, making it harder for women to address the issues that lead to a removal. This feeds into a negative cycle, with 22% of mothers returning to court with a subsequent child within 5 years of an initial care order. This project will use administrative family court and health data alongside interviews with birth parents, to describe and better understand the health profile of this population. We aim to identify health factors associated with recurrent care proceedings and better understand the role of healthcare in supporting this group of women.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
Rebecca Lacey (Primary Supervisor) | |
Claire Grant (Student) |
Publications
Grant C
(2022)
Parental health in the context of public care proceedings: a scoping review of evidence and interventions
in The Lancet
Pearson RJ
(2022)
Mental health service use among mothers involved in public family law proceedings: linked data cohort study in South London 2007-2019.
in Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology
Studentship Projects
Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
ES/P000592/1 | 30/09/2017 | 29/09/2027 | |||
2395700 | Studentship | ES/P000592/1 | 30/09/2020 | 31/03/2024 | Claire Grant |
Description | This research project has worked in collaboration women who have lived experience of child removal. There has also been ongoing conversations with organisations and charities who support this group. An ongoing conversation has allowed services supporting women to inform the direction/conduction of this research and have access preliminary findings. This collaboration also offers and opportunity for academics to listen and learn from voices often not heard in research. |
First Year Of Impact | 2021 |
Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy |
Impact Types | Societal |