Learning from Research: Permanently Progressing Phase 2 - Middle Childhood

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Since 2014, the longitudinal Permanently Progressing study has been looking at the lives of all 1,836 children who became looked after (either at or away from home) in Scotland in 2012-2013 when they were aged five and under. The study draws on administrative data (including Children Looked After Statistics), surveys of caregivers and social workers, and interviews with children, kinship carers, foster carers, adoptive parents and birth parents. It tracks children’s pathways to permanence (or impermanence) over time and uses the different data to paint a detailed picture of children’s wellbeing and support needs, and their connections with people who are important, but they do not live with. Phase 1 of the study reported in 2019, and Phase 2 reported on 10th September 2024. The final report and summaries can be accessed here: https://permanentlyprogressing.stir.ac.uk/key-findings-from-phase-2-final-report-and-accessible-summaries/

In this seminar, the research team will explore key findings and what these mean for decision makers, policy makers, professionals who have important roles in children’s lives (including teachers and social workers), and children and their families.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

• Children’s pathways to permanence or impermanence: how decisions made early in children’s lives have significant implications for them ten years later.
• Children’s wellbeing and support needs: how children are doing in middle childhood and what bolsters their wellbeing and belonging.
• Education: how schools can be a place of belonging and inclusion, or exclusion and distressing experiences.
• Contact and connections: what connections children currently have with important people including siblings.

Phase 2 of the study was funded by the Nuffield Foundation and the same philanthropic donor who funded Phase 1. It is a collaboration between the University of Stirling, Lancaster University and the Association for Fostering, Kinship and Adoption Scotland (AFKA).

PRESENTERS

Dr Helen Whincup (Principal Investigator) 

Helen is a Senior Lecturer in Social Work at the University of Stirling, Faculty of Social Science (FoSS) teaching primarily on the post-qualifying Masters in Applied Professional Studies (Child Welfare and Protection). She is a qualified social worker with a practice background in children and families work, including permanence. Helen also brings personal experience of adoption (as an adult adoptee). Helen was involved in Phase 1 of the study (PI between 2016-18) and in Phases 1 and 2 interviewed children, young people, and their caregivers.  

Dr Linda Cusworth (Co-Investigator) 

Linda is a Research Fellow in the Centre for Child and Family Justice Research/Law School at Lancaster University and has almost twenty years’ experience in impactful research relating to child well-being, child protection and social care, and the experiences, pathways and outcomes for individuals involved in the family justice system. She has been co-investigator since the start of Phase 1, leading the survey strand of the study and supporting access and analysis of administrative data. 

PANEL

HHJ Lynn Roberts, Senior Circuit Judge, Designated Family Judge at the Central London Family Court

HHJ Lynn Roberts was a solicitor at Hodge Jones and Allen where she ran the family team for over 10 years.

She was appointed a deputy district judge (DDJ) in the County Courts and a DDJ at the Principal Registry of the Family Division (PRFD) both in 1999 and became a full time District Judge at the PRFD in 2001.

In 2012 she became a Circuit Judge and in 2014 became the designated family judge (DFJ) for Essex and Suffolk. In Spring 2020 the President made her National Lead Judge for Divorce and in August 2020 she was made a Senior Circuit Judge and the DFJ for Central Family Court.

Dr Helen Whincup (Principal Investigator), Stirling University

Dr Linda Cusworth (Co-Investigator), University of Lancaster

Jane Poore, Adoption Consultant, CoramBAAF

Jane joined CoramBAAF in 2021 as a qualified Social Worker with over 15 years' experience in fostering and adoption, assessing, matching and supporting adopters, alongside training prospective adopters. Jane has experience in working for both LA’s and VAA and was involved in the development of the Regional Adoption Agencies in the South West.  Prior to joining CoramBAAF she was Agency Advisor in Somerset, for both Fostering and Adoption Panels as well as coordinating Agency Decisions for Children, amongst other pieces of work such as researching Long Term Placement endings. 

WHO’S IT FOR?

The session is aimed at decision makers in the judiciary and children’s services, social workers, teachers, policy makers, care experienced individuals, and anyone interested in exploring the messages for policy and practice this important longitudinal study has.

For social workers, reflection on this session may contribute to your continuing professional development (CPD).

FEES

OPEN TO ALL

CONTACT

Telephone 020 7520 7520/0310

Email events@corambaaf.org.uk

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