1. Introduction -- 2. Study Design -- 3. The Children's Admission to Care -- 4. The Effective Decision: How Children and Parents Were Getting On -- 5. How the Effective Decision Was Made: Planning and Outcome -- 6. How the Effective Decision Was Made: Experiences of Parents and Children -- 7. Children's Experiences at Home and in Care: The First Six Months -- 8. Placements and Stability at Follow-Up -- 9. Well-Being and Progress at Follow-Up -- 10. Exploring Well-Being at Follow-Up -- 11. Case Studies: From Admission to Follow-Up -- 12. Conclusion
Summary
The decision whether or not to reunify a child in care with their birth family is one of the most serious taken by children's services, and often involves considerable risk. This book examines the long-term consequences of this decision for children who entered public care for abuse or neglect. It compares the experiences and progress of children who remained in care or returned to their birth families up to four years after the decision was taken. It covers how the decision is made, the factors taken into account when making it and provides important suggestions for effective decision-making
