Therapy not helping abuse victims

By Joe Lepper Thursday, 02 July 2009

Residential and play therapy experts have hit out at a government-funded report that says their work is failing to improve outcomes for child victims of physical abuse.

Hands cutting out picture of eye as part of play therapy. Credit: Jason Bye

The University of Oxford report, commissioned by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, said the most effective forms of care for such children were specialist fostering and parenting support.

"Residential treatment and play therapy were not found to be effective," in comparison, it added.

The report, Systematic Reviews of Interventions Following Physical Abuse, said the government should prioritise funding on therapy that is "supported by strong evidence for improving outcomes".

But Janet Rich, children's services development officer at the National Care Association, said the report was "frightening" in terms of its potential influence on funding for therapeutic care.

She said: "This is part of an increasing feeling in government and councils that foster care and family support is best. It is for many children, but not for all. Also, specialist foster care is seen as cheaper than residential care."

Joe Crosby, external affairs director at residential therapy provider Childhood First, denied residential therapy was ineffective in supporting victims of physical abuse. "The sector offers stability, especially for those that find it difficult in a family group," he said.

Report co-author Dr Paul Montgomery, from the University of Oxford's Centre for Evidence-Based Intervention, said: "It makes sense for the government to concentrate funding on what they know works, but it is also important that more research is carried out into the variety of support available."

David Savage, an independent consultant for the residential care sector, said part of the problem was that the government is not tapping into research that is available from individual care organisations.

Lisa Gordon Clark, spokeswoman for the British Association of Play Therapists, agreed that "much of the evidence is anecdotal".

But she added: "We know that play benefits victims of physical abuse, but quantifying that in research has proved hard."

Jonathan Stanley, manager of the National Centre for Excellence in Residential Child Care, said any policy developments based on this research should be "taken forward under caution".