Identifying the trauma-related profiles of children in foster care
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Identifying the trauma-related profiles of children in foster care
IRAS ID
193130
Contact name
Rachel Hiller
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Bath
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 6 months, 1 days
Research summary
The term ‘looked after children’ describes children and young people who are being looked after by their local authority, and may be living with foster parents or in residential care settings. By definition many looked after children have experienced significant abuse or neglect. Following removal from their biological homes, many also continue to experience ongoing instability. Looked after children have some of the poorest outcomes of any group of youth in the UK, including far higher rates of psychopathology and poor educational outcomes. Despite this there is very little empirical information on the trauma-related profiles of these children, including psychological pathways to mental health outcomes and the impact of this profile on their functional outcomes.
The current study aims to address this gap in the literature through two key aims. The first aim is to identify how children's trauma-related psychological pathways (e.g., memory, maladaptive cognitions) are related to the child’s mental health profile, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Second, we aim to explore how this mental health profile (including PTSD, internalising and externalising symptoms) is associated with their functional outcomes, including education and foster placement functioning and general wellbeing. Together, these aims will provide a comprehensive exploration of the trauma-related profiles of looked after children. Such information is essential for both identifying children at increased risk of developing poor outcomes and for identifying possible targets for evidence-based interventions.
REC name
Social Care REC
REC reference
16/IEC08/0025
Date of REC Opinion
21 Jul 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion