Improving the emotional, social and psychological well-being of looked after children
Pilot project (2017-2018) co-funded by the Sir Halley Stewart Trust and an anonymous donation.
Feasibility RCT (2020-2022), funded by the National Institute for Health Research
This project tests an innovative and potentially transformational approach to supporting the mental health and well-being of children who are looked after by the state (CLA, also known as children in care).
We have developed a training and assessment package for foster carers and schools (Shared Training and Assessment for Well-Being; STrAWB) that is designed to improve the early identification of potential mental health difficulties, allowing professionals to support children with differing profiles of social and emotional needs.
The STrAWB package involves three key elements:
- integrated training on mental health for foster carers and Designated Teachers;
- home-based assessment by trained foster carers, based on observations of key signs and indicators of potential mental health difficulties;
- school-based assessment by school staff and the children themselves involving measures of social and emotional functioning.
The project is unique in bringing together professionals from social care and education to increase awareness of the early signs of potential mental health difficulties, and in creating an in-depth, 360-degree comprehensive child profile across the home and school contexts. A mental health clinician reviews all assessment measures, to create individual CLA profiles of strengths and needs. Feedback will be provided to foster carers, social workers, and Designated Teachers, allowing key adults to identify and respond to the needs of each individual CLA within both the home and school settings. The training and assessments have been co-developed with a range of stakeholders in a number of Local Authorities in England.
Following a successful pilot project in 2017-2018, our feasibility RCT funded by NIHR involves work with 70 CLA in school Years 4 and 5, from several ocal Authorities. The foster carers and Designated Teachers of these children will receive the joint training, and the full assessment approach will be completed by foster carers, Designated Teachers, and the children themselves.
Feedback will be provided on individual children’s needs, and any support strategies put in place will be monitored, to gain information on how professionals respond to individual profiles of need.
The project opens the door to valuable long-term follow-up work that can build new knowledge about the longitudinal trajectories of mental health characteristics in this vulnerable group, as well as the most effective intervention/support approaches.
Project team:
Dr Nikki Luke, Rees Centre for Research in Fostering and Education, University of Oxford
Prof Robin Banerjee, School of Psychology, University of Sussex
Dr Valerie Dunn, Rees Centre for Research in Fostering and Education, University of Oxford
Dr Nick Douglas, School of Psychology, University of Sussex
Diana Jones, Project Manager, Rees Centre for Research in Fostering and Education, University of Oxford
Collaborators from pilot project:
- Helen Drew, School of Psychology, University of Sussex
- Prof Judy Sebba, Rees Centre for Research in Fostering and Education, University of Oxford
- Jen Wilkinson, Rees Centre for Research in Fostering and Education, University of Oxford