System ‘letting down’ most vulnerable children in care, say experts

Professionals who work with children in care are re-examining their procedures to ensure that enough support is being given to children who are similarly vulnerable to Niamh Lafferty and Georgia Rowe.

Children who come into the care system are likely to have been exposed to an array of traumatic events, such as bereavement, violence and abuse to parental drug addiction. A 2003 study found 72% of children in residential care were diagnosed with a mental health disorder – 60% of whom had a conduct disorder and 18% of whom had an emotional disorder, such as anxiety or depression. Children with the most complex behavioural issues are looked after in residential care homes rather than being placed with foster parents.

Ania Hildrey, principal at Spires School, a residential school for children looked after by the state, said staff needed to take time to assess the cause of children’s problems.

“We need to peel back the layers of the onion a little bit more to see what the root problem is. It is not abnormal for children to refer to suicide as part of the process of working out the meaning of life and death,” she said. “There is a danger that we become immune to the threat of suicide unless we listen to what children are saying. Professionals must listen and act.”

Sue Cotton, who manages residential care for the charity Action for Children, said everyone in the sector would be scrutinising the results of the inquiry to see what lessons could be drawn.

“It may be that the institution did everything in its power to look after these girls, but we need to see if they fulfilled their duty of care, not in order to blame them but so we can understand what made things go wrong,” she said. “We will be making sure our services are doing everything they can.”

A research paper published last year by Craig Cowan, an officer with Glasgow city council, analysed why there had been a relatively high number of deaths in Glasgow among children who had had experience of the care system (an estimated total of 12 between 2001 and 2004).

“Social work must acknowledge suicidal behaviour as a priority issue,” he concluded. “As it is, the system is currently letting down the most vulnerable of vulnerable young people and a debate needs to take place that seeks to change the way the system supports young people in care who exhibit suicidal behaviour.”