The care careers of long-stay children: The contribution of new theoretical approaches

Abstract The paper shows how recent theoretical developments in child-care research in the United Kingdom have improved understanding of the problems faced by young people who stay long in care. Some child-care studies have sought to develop concepts, such as career and process have devised schedules to monitor the progress of children looked after away from home and to determine the outcomes of intervention; while elsewhere attention has been given to the problem of evaluating the results obtained. These three perspectives clarify the dependencies young people have and the role of the natural family in this. They also indicate the continuing importance of relatives and friends despite the variety of living situations experienced when young people leave care. Homeless and skill-less boys, however, are particularly vulnerable and generally do badly on every dimension. A career perspective illustrates how their situation is exacerbated by an interaction between their behaviour and choices and the decisions made by professionals on their behalf.