A new report has revealed that thousands of in-care children are ‘pinging’ between schools, homes and social workers – a situation that has a negative impact on their future prospects.
Launched by the Children’s Commissioner for England, the Stability Index revealed that over a 12-month period between 2015 and 2016, one in 10 children in care – over 7,000 in total – experienced two or more changes in their care placement.
It also found that during the same period one in four children in care – nearly 18,000 children – experienced two or more changes in their social worker.
Around 2,000 children saw their care placement, their school and their social worker all change, and 50,000 children in care (71%) experienced some change of their placement, school or social worker.
The study also showed that one in 10 children in the care system moved school in the middle of the academic year, a change which can be particularly disruptive to education and exams.
Children in care are three times more likely to experience a mid-year school move than schoolchildren in general.
While placement changes do increase the likelihood of changing school, said the Children’s Commissioner, the research found that in just over half of cases, children in care changed school during the academic year without a change in their placement – meaning that other factors are also playing a role.
‘Children in the care system crave stability, just like any other child,’ the Children’s Commissioner for England, Anne Longfield, said.
‘Especially for these kids, having reliable, consistent adults in their lives is critical to helping them flourish and overcome problems they may have experienced in the past.
‘Sometimes changes are unavoidable and occur for the right reasons. But when “pinball kids” are pinged around the system, it can damage them and their future prospects.
‘Many of these children enter care with complex issues and are highly vulnerable. We must find a better, more consistent way of meeting their needs.’
