Permanently Progressing

Statistics from 2018 (Scottish Government 2019) show that 14,738 children were looked after in Scotland (at 31st July 2018). Many children who become looked after away from home will return to their parents, but for some the decision is taken to permanently place them with kinship carers, long-term foster carers or adoptive parents.

“Permanently Progressing? Building secure futures for children in Scotland” is the first study in Scotland to investigate decision making, permanence, progress, outcomes and belonging for all children who became ‘looked after’ in 2012-2013 when they were aged five and under (n=1,836). Of those 1,836 children, 1,355 were looked after away from home, and 481 were looked after at home.

Phase One ran from 2014-2018 and was designed to be the first phase in a longitudinal study, following the cohort of 1,836 children who became looked after in 2012-13 into adolescence and beyond. Phase Two started in December 2020, funded by the Nuffield Foundation and an anonymous donor.

The study included analysis of data from questionnaires completed by social workers, carers or adoptive parents, interviews and focus groups with decision-makers, interviews with carers and adoptive parents, and ‘play and talk’ sessions with children.

Phase One of the study had five strands and there is a report, policy briefing and summary for each strand, together with an information sheet for children, with an accompanying audio recording. Full details can be found on the project page: https://permanentlyprogressing.stir.ac.uk/