Early exposure to adversity, such as abuse or neglect, is associated with poorer outcomes across social, education and health domains. Children in care (referred to as looked-after children in the UK) are a vulnerable group who experience adversity serious enough for the state to intervene in family life and place them under the supervision of child protection services within the home or, more frequently, to remove the child and place them in out-of-home care (OHC). In England, placement in OHC can be voluntary (i.e. with parental consent) or mandated by a court. Some looked-after children have complex health needs and are voluntarily placed in temporary care in order to provide respite to their parents, but the majority of children in OHC are removed from their parents for reasons related to abuse or neglect.
Authors
Lorraine Dearden
Bilal Nasim
Louise McGrath-Lone
Katie Harron
Ruth Gilbert
Journal article details
- DOI
- 10.1093/ije/dyw117
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Issue
- July 2016, pages 1 - 8
Suggested citation
Dearden, L et al. (2016). 'Data resource profile: Children looked after return (CLA)' (2016), pp.1 – 8.
More from IFS
Understand this issue
Spring Budget 2024: What you need to know
7 March 2024
The NHS waiting list: when will it come down?
29 February 2024
The way Chancellors respond to economic news adds to our debt - here's why
1 March 2024
Policy analysis
What you need to know about the new childcare entitlements
28 March 2024
Oil and gas make Scotland’s underlying public finances particularly volatile and uncertain
27 March 2024
Major challenges for education in Wales
21 March 2024
Academic research
6th World Bank/IFS/ODI Public Finance Conference | Driving Progress: Public Finance and Structural Transformation
The consequences of miscarriage on parental investments
22 March 2024
The menopause "penalty"
18 March 2024