What Works in Residential Child Care : A Review of Research Evidence and the Practical Considerations

This book reviews research evidence, drawing on a study of residential services in Wales and a literature review of US and UK findings, and identifies the significant elements that will lead to a successful strategy for residential child care across the UK. Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 3 Contents......Page 5 Figures......Page 7 Tables......Page 8 Foreword and acknowledgements......Page 9 RESEARCH FOR PRACTICE......Page 11 KNOWLEDGE IN THE CONTEXT OF CHILDREN’S LIVES......Page 12 OUTCOMES AND EVIDENCE......Page 15 TRENDS IN RESEARCH INTO RESIDENTIAL CHILD CARE......Page 19 THE STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS OF RESEARCH KNOWLEDGE......Page 23 DIFFICULTIES IN COMPARING ESTABLISHMENTS AND SYSTEMS......Page 25 DISAGGREGATING RESIDENTIAL CARE FOR CHILDREN......Page 27 EXPLORING THE VARIETY OF PROVISION......Page 28 YOUTH JUSTICE PROVISION......Page 31 RESIDENTIAL HOMES FOR DISABLED CHILDREN......Page 33 TRENDS IN RESIDENTIAL CHILD CARE......Page 36 CLASSIFICATION OF RESIDENTIAL HOMES......Page 37 MODELS OF RESIDENTIAL WORK WITH CHILDREN......Page 41 CONDITIONS FOR EFFECTIVE PRACTICE......Page 48 CONCLUSIONS ON WHAT WORKS IN RESIDENTIAL PRACTICE......Page 72 THE BACKGROUND: THE REALITY OF CHILDREN’S EXPERIENCES AND THE REPORTS ON LOCAL PRACTICE......Page 77 THE BENEFITS OF RESIDENTIAL PLACEMENTS......Page 80 CRITICISMS OF RESIDENTIAL CARE......Page 81 RECTIFYING THE WEAKNESSES OF RESIDENTIAL CARE......Page 82 AREAS OF UNCERTAINTY......Page 91 A SUMMARY OF THE RESEARCH MESSAGES ON RESIDENTIAL CARE FOR CHILDREN......Page 96 BUILDING ON THE RESEARCH EVIDENCE......Page 98 DEVELOPING RESIDENTIAL SERVICES THAT MATCH THE WANTS AND NEEDS OF CHILDREN......Page 102 PLANNING CHILDREN’S SERVICES IN WALES......Page 105 THE NEED FOR EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT ASSESSMENT, INFORMATION AND PLANNING......Page 111 DEVELOPING A STRATEGY FOR WALES: THE ROLE OF RESIDENTIAL CARE IN CHILDREN’S SERVICES......Page 112 ISSUES REQUIRING FURTHER EXPLORATION......Page 119 CONCLUSION: A RESIDENTIAL CHILD CARE STRATEGY FOR WALES......Page 125 References and further reading......Page 127 Index......Page 137 Cover; Contents; Figures; Tables; Foreword and acknowledgements; 1 Introduction; RESEARCH FOR PRACTICE; ESSENTIAL INFORMATION; KNOWLEDGE IN THE CONTEXT OF CHILDREN'S LIVES; OUTCOMES AND EVIDENCE; 2 Residential child care research: the state of knowledge; TRENDS IN RESEARCH INTO RESIDENTIAL CHILD CARE; THE STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS OF RESEARCH KNOWLEDGE; DIFFICULTIES IN COMPARING ESTABLISHMENTS AND SYSTEMS; DISAGGREGATING RESIDENTIAL CARE FOR CHILDREN; EXPLORING THE VARIETY OF PROVISION; YOUTH JUSTICE PROVISION; RESIDENTIAL HOMES FOR DISABLED CHILDREN; TRENDS IN RESIDENTIAL CHILD CARE