The National Children’s Bureau has identified key policy learnings for the social care system after conducting a thematic analysis of 17 separate discussions with its experts by experience groups, held over a 5-year period.
In the Living Assessments project, children and families’ voices and experiences were the golden thread that helped bridge the gap between policy and practice.
The discussions with Expert by Experience groups brought together policymakers, academics, young people, parents and carers, under one roof to platform concerns facing children and families today.
Today, in collaboration with the University of Kent and University of Cambridge, NCB published two major policy briefings that synthesise findings from conversations and experiences of young people and parents in the experts by experience groups. The findings from discussions with both the young people and parents’ groups reaffirm the need for a whole-family approach, complementing each other throughout.
Themes that emerged from policy analysis include:
- Home, both as a physical space and an emotional anchor
- Mental health, including the specific mental health challenges faced by care experienced young people in accessing trauma-informed support as well as the need for mental health support for parents and carers
- A children’s social care workforce that is well-equipped to support the diverse needs of children and families
- Intersectionality, and systemic barriers in accessing the support children and families deserve.
The findings confirm what we already know about children’s social care – that timely support, and sustained investment in the professionals and systems that work alongside children and families is crucial for reform.
We continue to work with policymakers and sector professionals to ensure that expert-by-experience voices are heard and listened to at the highest level of decision making.