Children in care likely to experience multiple social worker changes each year
Fiona Simpson
Friday, May 6, 2022
Children in care are more likely to experience changes in support than have one social worker for a whole year, new research from Barnardo's shows.
The report, From Pillar to Post, documents how many children experience multiple moves between foster homes and children’s homes with frequent changes of school and social workers.
It warns that in 2017/18, 60 per cent of children in care experienced at least one change in social worker while more than a quarter experienced two or more changes.
This is despite a recent YouGov poll of more than 2,000 British adults by the charity showing that 82 per cent believe it is very important for children to have consistent adults in their lives.
One young person told researchers: “It was stressful constantly changing social worker because just when you have adapted and become used to someone you then must adjust to someone else.”
The report also notes that in 2020, one in 10 children experienced two or more placement moves in one year – the same figure as in 2019 and 2018.
Almost a quarter of children experienced two or more placement moves in a two-year period between 2018 and 2020, it adds, noting that children who enter care later, aged 12 to 15, are more likely to experience multiple placement moves than peers of the same age who entered care aged between 0 and 11.
Barnardo’s is urging the government and local authorities to do more to help children in the care system build longer-lasting relationships.
The charity is also calling on the Care Review to look specifically at how children in care can have consistent adults in their lives.
The report suggests widening access to an “independent visitor” or “buddy” who can provide support and friendship for children throughout their care journey. “Barnardo’s would also like more local authorities to find ways of supporting children to build wider support networks within their community,” the report adds.
Lynn Perry, chief executive of Barnardo’s said: "It is simply not good enough that some of the most vulnerable children in our society feel like they are being ‘bounced around’ the system.
“With the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care due to report imminently, we have a unique opportunity to ensure children experience fewer changes in where they live, less disruption to their education, and don’t have to tell their story to so many new professionals.”
The Care Review is expected to publish its final recommendations in late May or early June.