Care experience and family
Studying the Outcomes of Children's Social Care Provision for Different Types of Demand Full Report
National Children's Bureau (NCB) · 2024
About this report
This large-scale secondary analysis examined 3.6 million social work assessments recorded in England between 2014 and 2021 to identify twelve common categories of demand in children's social care (CSC). Using latent class analysis, the study profiled the types of risk and need assessed by social workers, the intervention pathways associated with each demand category, and how child characteristics (age, gender, ethnicity, deprivation) shape those pathways. It found significant inequalities in provision — including a social gradient in intervention rates — and linked demand categories to intermediate outcomes (re-referrals, repeat child protection plans, re-entries to care) and longitudinal educational outcomes (KS2/KS4 attainment and school exclusions).
Research details
- Methodology
- Secondary analysisMixed methodsOther
- Sample size
- 3,600,320
- Sample
- All children who received a social work assessment in England between 2014 and 2021, as recorded in the CIN Census and CLA Returns administrative datasets.
- Place
- England
- Youth involvement
- Young people consulted
- Funder
- Nuffield Foundation