Teenagers in foster care: the critical role of carers and other adults
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Oxford
Department Name: Education
Abstract
Fostering teenagers is especially challenging and the shortage of carers willing to care for teenagers particularly acute. Specific challenges include offending, sexual exploitation and asylum seekers. Less is known about the specific parenting practices that prevent or address these problems with children in care. Some carers trained in parenting skills experience fewer adolescent placement disruptions. The recent Government policy 'Positive for Youth' acknowledges the additional support needed by carers. Those who intervene in other people's lives should be informed by the best possible evidence.
The new Rees Centre for Research on Fostering and Education aims to improve outcomes for fostered young people through better use of research. Foster carers, care leavers, professionals, service providers and policy makers are consulted throughout the research process. The proposed seminar series aims to develop a new research network on fostering teenagers to ensure better use of current research, identify gaps and highlight key policy and practice challenges. Specifically, it aims to:
*Influence policy and practice through highlighting current research evidence on parenting and fostering teenagers;
*Develop a new international research agenda by bringing together researchers, policy makers & practitioners from different disciplines (social work/social policy, education, psychology, law) and countries;
*Construct an innovative understanding of what parenting means by discussing explanations of the relationship between parenting and children's outcomes and how this relates to foster parenting in order to inform effective interventions;
*Take a longer term view by looking at the outcomes for fostered young people later in life and how this relates to earlier and later parenting and fostering.
Proposed seminar format
Each seminar will be a full day at different locations, with Seminar 5 in Gothenburg. Speakers will include researchers, policy-makers and practitioners/service providers. Postgraduate students (4-6) from varied disciplines will present posters that will go on the web and receive feedback. 30-40 people will be invited to each seminar including researchers (varying career stages), postgraduates, policy makers, practitioners, foster carers, care leavers and research funders. The planning group will provide continuity across the series. Those with a * have agreed to contribute.
Seminar 1: Core concepts for parenting and fostering teenagers in the future Oct/Nov 2013 Possible speakers: Dr John Coleman*, Prof Frances Gardner*, Prof Ann Phoenix, Prof Gillian Schofield, Prof Gunvor Andersson*, Robert Tapsfield, Edward Timpson MP.
Seminar 2: Sex in adolescence: Balancing rights and risks Feb/March 2014
Possible speakers: Prof Jenny Pearce*, Sue Berelowitz*, Charlotta Löfgren-Mårtenson*, Ronny Tikkanen*, Maddy Coy*, Peter Davies*.
Seminar 3: Future directions for effective interdisciplinary youth justice systems May/June 2014 Possible speakers: Prof Stephen Scott, Tim Bateman*, Prof John Pitts*, John Drew*, Prof Nina Biehal, Lisa Harker.
Seminar 4: Effective support for displaced children: Moving forward Oct/Nov 2014
Possible speakers: Prof Ravi Kohli*, Patricia Hynes*, Jim Wade, Dr Elaine Chase, Charlotte Melander*, Lisa Nandy MP*, Syd Bolton*.
Seminar 5: Innovative approaches to supporting transition to independence Feb/March 2015 in Gothenburg. Possible speakers: Prof Ingrid Höjer*, Prof Mike Stein, Prof Sonia Jackson, NCAS representative, Yvonne Sjöblom*, Jan Storo*.
Seminar 6: An interdisciplinary approach to fostering teenagers in the future May/June 2015 Summarise outcomes and future implications.
Planning team: Judy Sebba (Rees, Oxford), John Coleman (Oxford), Jenny Pearce (Bedfordshire), Nikki Luke (Rees, Oxford), Frances Gardner (Social Policy, Oxford), Ingrid Höjer (Gothenburg), John Simmonds (BAAF), Roger Morgan (Children's Rights Director) Sue Berelowitz (Dep. Children's Commissioner).
The new Rees Centre for Research on Fostering and Education aims to improve outcomes for fostered young people through better use of research. Foster carers, care leavers, professionals, service providers and policy makers are consulted throughout the research process. The proposed seminar series aims to develop a new research network on fostering teenagers to ensure better use of current research, identify gaps and highlight key policy and practice challenges. Specifically, it aims to:
*Influence policy and practice through highlighting current research evidence on parenting and fostering teenagers;
*Develop a new international research agenda by bringing together researchers, policy makers & practitioners from different disciplines (social work/social policy, education, psychology, law) and countries;
*Construct an innovative understanding of what parenting means by discussing explanations of the relationship between parenting and children's outcomes and how this relates to foster parenting in order to inform effective interventions;
*Take a longer term view by looking at the outcomes for fostered young people later in life and how this relates to earlier and later parenting and fostering.
Proposed seminar format
Each seminar will be a full day at different locations, with Seminar 5 in Gothenburg. Speakers will include researchers, policy-makers and practitioners/service providers. Postgraduate students (4-6) from varied disciplines will present posters that will go on the web and receive feedback. 30-40 people will be invited to each seminar including researchers (varying career stages), postgraduates, policy makers, practitioners, foster carers, care leavers and research funders. The planning group will provide continuity across the series. Those with a * have agreed to contribute.
Seminar 1: Core concepts for parenting and fostering teenagers in the future Oct/Nov 2013 Possible speakers: Dr John Coleman*, Prof Frances Gardner*, Prof Ann Phoenix, Prof Gillian Schofield, Prof Gunvor Andersson*, Robert Tapsfield, Edward Timpson MP.
Seminar 2: Sex in adolescence: Balancing rights and risks Feb/March 2014
Possible speakers: Prof Jenny Pearce*, Sue Berelowitz*, Charlotta Löfgren-Mårtenson*, Ronny Tikkanen*, Maddy Coy*, Peter Davies*.
Seminar 3: Future directions for effective interdisciplinary youth justice systems May/June 2014 Possible speakers: Prof Stephen Scott, Tim Bateman*, Prof John Pitts*, John Drew*, Prof Nina Biehal, Lisa Harker.
Seminar 4: Effective support for displaced children: Moving forward Oct/Nov 2014
Possible speakers: Prof Ravi Kohli*, Patricia Hynes*, Jim Wade, Dr Elaine Chase, Charlotte Melander*, Lisa Nandy MP*, Syd Bolton*.
Seminar 5: Innovative approaches to supporting transition to independence Feb/March 2015 in Gothenburg. Possible speakers: Prof Ingrid Höjer*, Prof Mike Stein, Prof Sonia Jackson, NCAS representative, Yvonne Sjöblom*, Jan Storo*.
Seminar 6: An interdisciplinary approach to fostering teenagers in the future May/June 2015 Summarise outcomes and future implications.
Planning team: Judy Sebba (Rees, Oxford), John Coleman (Oxford), Jenny Pearce (Bedfordshire), Nikki Luke (Rees, Oxford), Frances Gardner (Social Policy, Oxford), Ingrid Höjer (Gothenburg), John Simmonds (BAAF), Roger Morgan (Children's Rights Director) Sue Berelowitz (Dep. Children's Commissioner).
Planned Impact
The applicants have ongoing involvement in public, independent and voluntary sector organisations providing direct opportunities to influence practitioners and policy makers with the outcomes. User engagement maximizes both the relevance of the research outside academia and thereby its impact (Rickinson et al., 2011). Interactive activities help move beyond dissemination to impact.
The applicants work with social workers, youth workers, psychologists, therapists, teachers, health workers and policy leaders/strategists. The applicant is a member of the British Association of Adoption and Fostering Research Group and of the Association of Directors of Children's Services Research User Group giving her direct access to key service providers. The Rees Centre Advisory Group includes senior government, charity and local authority officials who will be invited to attend and/or speak at selected seminars.
The Rees Centre consults groups of care leavers, foster carers and social workers in two local authorities and one independent provider every 3-6 months throughout the research process and will do the same with the seminar series. More than 20 foster carers are participating as co-researchers in our work. The seminar participants will be drawn from these communities to ensure the outcomes are interactively communicated to others. Research findings are presented to key organisations and charities regularly including NSPCC, Barnardos, National Children's Bureau and The College of Social Work.
The Department of Social Work at the University of Gothenburg is involved in social work training and works closely with a foster care case workers' organization and two foster carer organisations in Sweden. The Department of Education at Oxford is involved in training and Masters level professional development of teachers. The Doctoral Training Centre at Oxford involves both departments thereby ensuring that doctoral students are involved in the seminars and that the outcomes are reflected in the doctoral teaching.
The Faculty of Health and Social Sciences at the University of Bedfordshire is accredited for training in both social work and youth and community studies. Prof Pearce works as a policy advisor with Eurochild and with The Council of Europe 'One in Five' Campaign which is extending its work to review participatory methods used to engage children and young people in preventing sexual violence against children. She attends the UK Government roundtable events implementing the current Challenging Child Sexual Exploitation Strategy and is evaluating the Barnardo's provision of DfE funded work on specialist foster care arrangements for sexually exploited and trafficked young people.
A dedicated webpage and blog encouraging interaction will be developed. Each seminar will be streamed enabling interactive involvement from users elsewhere. A summary of each seminar will be placed on the website, comments sought and key points used in presentations with policy makers and practitioners. At every seminar postgraduate students from different disciplines will present poster sessions (then placed on the web) and be invited to co-author papers with the presenters and planning team.
A short booklet on fostering teenagers for foster carers drawing on the seminar outcomes, (co-authored with carers attending) will be published. Prior to publication, carers and care leavers will contribute which will encourage impact through discussion of implications and practical suggestions. Making Research Count at the University of Bedfordshire will promote the outcomes through newsletters, research summaries, workshops and events.
Prof Höjer will involve Nordic researchers, fostering organisations and social work professional associations in the development of the series from the outset thus maximising dissemination and impact. Some outputs may be produced in Swedish as well as English (in particular for users).
The applicants work with social workers, youth workers, psychologists, therapists, teachers, health workers and policy leaders/strategists. The applicant is a member of the British Association of Adoption and Fostering Research Group and of the Association of Directors of Children's Services Research User Group giving her direct access to key service providers. The Rees Centre Advisory Group includes senior government, charity and local authority officials who will be invited to attend and/or speak at selected seminars.
The Rees Centre consults groups of care leavers, foster carers and social workers in two local authorities and one independent provider every 3-6 months throughout the research process and will do the same with the seminar series. More than 20 foster carers are participating as co-researchers in our work. The seminar participants will be drawn from these communities to ensure the outcomes are interactively communicated to others. Research findings are presented to key organisations and charities regularly including NSPCC, Barnardos, National Children's Bureau and The College of Social Work.
The Department of Social Work at the University of Gothenburg is involved in social work training and works closely with a foster care case workers' organization and two foster carer organisations in Sweden. The Department of Education at Oxford is involved in training and Masters level professional development of teachers. The Doctoral Training Centre at Oxford involves both departments thereby ensuring that doctoral students are involved in the seminars and that the outcomes are reflected in the doctoral teaching.
The Faculty of Health and Social Sciences at the University of Bedfordshire is accredited for training in both social work and youth and community studies. Prof Pearce works as a policy advisor with Eurochild and with The Council of Europe 'One in Five' Campaign which is extending its work to review participatory methods used to engage children and young people in preventing sexual violence against children. She attends the UK Government roundtable events implementing the current Challenging Child Sexual Exploitation Strategy and is evaluating the Barnardo's provision of DfE funded work on specialist foster care arrangements for sexually exploited and trafficked young people.
A dedicated webpage and blog encouraging interaction will be developed. Each seminar will be streamed enabling interactive involvement from users elsewhere. A summary of each seminar will be placed on the website, comments sought and key points used in presentations with policy makers and practitioners. At every seminar postgraduate students from different disciplines will present poster sessions (then placed on the web) and be invited to co-author papers with the presenters and planning team.
A short booklet on fostering teenagers for foster carers drawing on the seminar outcomes, (co-authored with carers attending) will be published. Prior to publication, carers and care leavers will contribute which will encourage impact through discussion of implications and practical suggestions. Making Research Count at the University of Bedfordshire will promote the outcomes through newsletters, research summaries, workshops and events.
Prof Höjer will involve Nordic researchers, fostering organisations and social work professional associations in the development of the series from the outset thus maximising dissemination and impact. Some outputs may be produced in Swedish as well as English (in particular for users).
Publications
Stein M
(2019)
Supporting young people from care to adulthood: International practice
in Child & Family Social Work
| Description | Findings are summarised, recordings of presentations and post-graduate posters at: http://reescentre.education.ox.ac.uk/research/teenagers-in-foster-care/. A handbook for foster carers on Fostering Teenagers was published on 19 January informed by the findings e.g. that a strengths-based approach is important. Over 6000 copies have been distributed including to every local authority in the country. The Guardian Society online carried a blog https://www.theguardian.com/social-care-network/social-life-blog/2017/feb/15/fostering-a-teenage-asylum-seeker-was-challenging-and-fun and Sky News broadcast a feature http://news.sky.com/video/one-womans-experience-of-fostering-a-young-asylum-seeker-10770454 on the fostering unaccompanied asylum seeker teenagers section of the work. A special edition of 'Child and Family Social Work' was published on-line 2019, initially with open access. Findings reported here are reflected in both. An editorial plus 7 papers and 5 commentaries from young people who are care leavers, on the papers. One young person commented on two papers which were linked. New understandings generated by the seminar series Finding 1: Theoretical perspectives on the relationship between parenting, adolescence and fostering were advanced through key research being brought together. Research on parenting (Gardner), adolescence (Coleman) and fostering (Schofield) were brought together with perspectives from foster carers and teenagers in care. Similarities and differences between parenting and fostering teenagers were identified. Foster carers noted the enhanced accountability expected of them and the multiple and sometimes conflicting identities of carers. Coleman set out the characteristics of parenting relationships (e.g. expectations, consistency, strong boundaries). Finding 2: Foster carers and professionals need more support on maximising autonomy while minimising risk. Balancing risk with autonomy emerged as a major challenge from the seminars on sex and relationships, youth justice and transition to adulthood. Presentations included Berelowitz's 'warning signs' for foster carers to identify child sexual exploitation and Shuker's model for securing safety. Kohli provided a conceptual model of how unaccompanied asylum seekers make journeys geographically over time (through countries of origin, transit, asylum, and settlement), as well as developmentally as they mature into adulthood en route. Finding 3: Research is needed on care leavers' social networks and access to social capital to address identity, loneliness, homelessness, mental health, employment, etc. The importance for all teenagers of identity and belonging and the effects of instability in exacerbating vulnerabilities emerged as key issues. Care leavers reported on feelings of loneliness and anxiety and difficulties in coping with memories of trauma, neglect or abuse even when their lives were stable. Stein suggested rights-based approaches might protect them from the effects of austerity programmes. Finding 4: Training for social workers, foster carers, other professionals and policy makers should privilege the perspectives of care experienced young people. The perspectives of the care experienced young people at each seminar were particularly welcomed. They identified the negative impact of frequent social worker changes, lack of access to education, the need to have someone to 'let down' and importance of feeling safe, even to the extent that Thomas described having wanted a longer prison sentence that provided relative safety. A new interdisciplinary research network has been established through connecting scholars, practitioners and policy makers across England and Sweden and this group is involved in working on the journal special edition. Directions for future research were identified such as: • Evaluation of training for foster carers in authoritative parenting; • Longitudinal study of the outcomes of fostered asylum seeking young people, what worked for them, what could have been better, what were they able to achieve? • Evaluating approaches to leaving care provision in different countries and how these promote resilience for both highly motivated and disengaged individuals. |
| Exploitation Route | Network members worked with key organisations, fostering providers and government officials in England and Sweden to translate the findings into policy and practice. 1. The handbook for foster carers reflects the key findings and is available electronically and in hard copy. Distribution through key national organisations for foster carers in the two countries including The Fostering Network, FosterTalk and organisations in Sweden. Multiple copies have been requested by fostering providers in Scotland and Australia following use of web resources. Coram/BAAF distributed 1500 copies in their bailout to local authorities. Possible translations into Swedish and Japanese. Regular Rees Centre foster carer meetings, the Rees newsletter (circulation 1200) and Making Research Count at University of Bedfordshire have promoted the handbook. 2. The special edition of 'Child and Family Social Work' has now been published. At least one paper relating to each seminar topic is included. Each paper is accompanied by a care leaver commentary and linked to the website resources. 3. The eleven post-graduates who presented posters received feedback. 4. Policy makers in DfE were given a specific briefing on the series findings. |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Education,Healthcare |
| URL | http://reescentre.education.ox.ac.uk/research/teenagers-in-foster-care/;https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/13652206/2019/24/3 |
| Description | Network members are working with key organisations, fostering providers and government officials in England and Sweden to translate the findings into policy and practice. 1. The handbook for foster carers reflects the key findings and was published on 19 Jan 2017 electronically and in hard copy. Over 10,000 copies have been distributed through key national organisations for foster carers in the two countries including The Fostering Network, FosterTalk and organisations in Sweden. Every local authority in England received multiple copies through the national mailout from Coram/BAAF a charity partner in the original seminar series. Copies have been distributed to fostering providers in Scotland, Australia and Ireland following use of web resources. Possible translations into Swedish and Japanese are being explored. Regular Rees Centre foster carer meetings, the Rees newsletter (circulation 1200) and Making Research Count at University of Bedfordshire have all promoted the handbook. 2. The section in the handbook on fostering asylum seekers attracted particular attention around the time of the national outcry on the Dubs agreement. One of our researchers had a blog from the handbook published in Guardian Society on-line and this was picked up by Sky News who did a 5-minute interview with her. 3. Policy makers in DfE have been given a specific briefing on the series findings and have discussed how to incorporate the findings into their guidance and resource allocation. Their deputy director spoke about this at the launch of the handbook and they have referenced the Handbook in the Fostering Stocktake they are undertaking. 4. The researcher for the Education Select Committee attended the launch of the Handbook and is now providing the background briefing for their inquiry into fostering which will reference it. 5. A special edition of the Journal of Child and Family Social Work was published in 2019 with open access for non-academics. All 7 papers, the editorial and 5 care leaver commentaries have been included. Young people who have grown up in care who participated in the seminar series have written commentaries on how the issues raised resonate with their experience - this has affected their practice including what they have told other young people who they mentor and has impacted on service providers. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2017 |
| Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Education |
| Impact Types | Societal,Policy & public services |
| Description | DfE Fostering Stocktake |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Description | Select Committee Inquiry into Fostering |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | Fostering Teenagers |
| Organisation | University of Gothenburg |
| Department | Department of Social Work |
| Country | Sweden |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Prof Ingrid Höjer, University of Gothenburg. Collaborator |
| Collaborator Contribution | collaborator on seminar series and outputs |
| Impact | Ongoing editing of special edition of Child and Family Social Work |
| Start Year | 2014 |
| Description | Fostering teenagers |
| Organisation | University of Bedfordshire |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Collaboration on Fostering Teenagers seminar series and editing of special edition of journal arising from it |
| Collaborator Contribution | Summarised each seminar, wrote one of journal articles and editing |
| Impact | Special edition of Child and Family Social Work due for publication late 2017 |
| Start Year | 2014 |
| Description | Fostering teenagers - Sky News item |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Sky News interviewed the researcher in our team who wrote the Guardian Society blog relating to one section of the seminar series - fostering teenage asylum seekers URL will only work for limited time period. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | http://news.sky.com/video/one-womans-experience-of-fostering-a-young-asylum-seeker-10770454 |
| Description | Guardian Society on-line blog publication |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | One of our researchers wrote a blog based on the Fostering Teenagers handbook published on 19 January about her experiences of fostering teenage unaccompanied asylum seekers - one section of the handbook. The blog was published in Guardian Society on-line leading to approaches by many individuals and Sky News |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | https://www.theguardian.com/social-care-network/social-life-blog/2017/feb/15/fostering-a-teenage-asy... |
| Description | Launch of Fostering Teenagers Handbook |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | We launched the Fostering Teenagers Handbook derived from the ESRC Seminar Series in Westminster on 19 January 2017. The main author Dr John Coleman spoke as did one of the foster carer authors who had spoken at the seminar series. We invited the lead policy official (Dep Director Children in Care DfE) to give a response on how the Handbook would be used by policy makers which he did. The Researcher for the Education Select Committee attended and is leading a Select Committee inquiry into fostering for which the outputs from the seminar series are being used. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | http://reescentre.education.ox.ac.uk/about-us/launch-of-teenagers-in-foster-care-handbook-19-jan-201... |
| Description | Webinar on Fostering teenagers - output from ESRC Seminar Series |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | A webinar based on the seminar series/Handbook is being held on 22 March - I will update this when the next reporting window occurs |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |