Tom Clarke, Senior Quantitative Analyst Stability Index Tom Clarke, Senior Quantitative Analyst tom.clarke@childrenscommissioner.gov.uk

Recap: what is the Stability Index? Multi-dimensional measure of stability experienced by CLA: School life Professional Support Home Life How often do you experience a school move? How often do you experience a change in social worker? How often do you experience a placement move? www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/publication/stability-index-2018/

What data are we using? CLA Census & School Census data supplied by DfE Provides information on placement and school moves for all LAs Measures of single and two-year instability Bespoke social worker data collection Collection of CLA’s social worker histories over at least 2 years Episode level data Received data from 78 LAs in 2018 – 97% match rate with CLA census after cleaning Slightly over-represented in the South East in 2018 All but one LA provided information on changes in social worker teams

2018 findings

Findings: placement stability

National figures Single year placement stability Similar levels of instability to last year: 10% (7,500) children experienced multiple placement moves in 2016/17 Repeated placement moves over 2 years 3% (1,300) experienced 2 placement moves in both 15/16 and 16/17 Experiencing multiple placement moves in 1 year makes a child 3x more likely to experience it in the next year Longer term placement stability 10% experienced 4 or more changes over 3 years, 14% experienced 4 or more changes over 4 years

Regional and local variation Number of Looked after children with 2+ placement moves in 2016/17 % with 2+ placement moves in 2016/17 East Midlands 410 8 East of England 640 10 London 1140 12 North East 390 North West 1220 9 South East 1150 South West 690 West Midlands 1060 11 Yorkshire and The Humber 830

Factors that affect stability: age

Factors that affect stability: SEND/behaviour

Do LA-level factors matter?

Findings: school stability

National figures Single year school stability 10% of those matched in both the Autumn and Summer school censuses (4,300) children experienced a mid-year school move in 2016/17. 400 were out of education for a term or more 50% more likely to experience a mid-year school move in 16/17 if experienced one in 15/16 Repeated school moves over 2 years 4% (1,600) experienced 2 school moves (of any sort) in both 15/16 and 16/17

The role of placement moves

The role of school characteristics

Findings: social worker stability

National figures Single year social worker stability 1 in 4 children (18,900) experienced multiple social worker changes in 2016/17 Repeated social worker changes over 2 years 6% experienced multiple social worker changes in both 2015/16 and 2016/17

Local variation

The role of LA characteristics

Multiple instability How many children have which types of instability?

What have we done since and plans for the next year Bespoke report for all LAs that submitted social worker data Planning for collection in 2019 Aiming to get a full national picture Qualitative research piece…

Stability Index Qualitative Research Title: Children and young people’s experiences of instability whilst in care Why do we want to do this research? We want to know more about what those changes are like for children in care by speaking directly to children and young people. Understand what factors lead to certain changes being more or less difficult for children in care, or even being positive. Develop a better understanding of what impact these changes have on children in care. AND - understand how the Stability Index is being used and it’s impact We also want to understand how local authorities are using the Stability Index – and gather insights on the challenges and opportunities of using it So far we have been measuring the number of school, social worker and placement changes that each child in care – NOW we want to also know more about what those changes are like for children in care by speaking directly to children and young people. Develop a more nuanced understanding of what factors lead to certain changes being more or less difficult for children in care, or even being positive, as well as understand the factors that either exacerbate or help a child cope with changes they experience whilst in care. Develop a better understanding of what impact these changes have on children in care.