Queen's University Belfast

Academic Institute

ADRC-ESRC

Yes

E106

This research looks at why and how children and families in Northern Ireland become involved with social services during pregnancy and early childhood (up to age 2). It also focuses on cases where the same mother has multiple children removed from her care. We know that families living in poorer areas are more likely to need help from social services. In fact, studies in England and Northern Ireland show that children in the most deprived neighbourhoods are more often placed on child protection plans or taken into care, especially when they are very young. Some mothers, often young and vulnerable, face repeated removals of their children. This means they lose one child to the care system and may soon find themselves in care proceedings again with a new baby. Most studies so far have looked only at court cases, without including important information like mothers’ maternity care or past involvement with social services. This study aims to fill those gaps. It will use data from 2010 to 2020, combining social services records, maternity care information, and data about where families live to better understand what puts families at risk. The goal is to identify patterns, challenges, and inequalities that lead to social work involvement and repeated removals. By learning more about these issues, the research aims to improve policies and services to better support vulnerable families and reduce unfair differences in how children and families are treated. The findings will be shared with professionals, policymakers, and the public to help bring about positive change.

Since the creation of the SOSCARE database in the 1980’s it has been the primary system for recording and tracking contact between children and child and family social work. Previously, the PI has been involved in research which has used data linkage between SOSCARE and area level indicators of deprivation to identify trends in the relationship between child contact with child and family social work and poverty. Findings from this study were included in the recent Independent Review of Children’s Services in NI conducted by Professor Ray Jones (2023) and contributed to a number of recommendations related to improving the material circumstances of families in contact with children’s social care. The wider recommendations made by the review have farreaching implications for the provision of child and family social in the coming years and the advisory group for the project includes key representatives from the Department of Health, the Safeguarding Board N (NI), the Health and Social Care Board and key academics. This project will continue to inform our understanding of the needs of vulnerable groups in contact with the children’s social care and the role inequalities plays in system responses. At a time of significant changes, this study has the potential to influence both policy and practice developments within the field of social work specifically, and the public more broadly.

14/03/2025

TRE