Outcome 5 - Longitudinal Study

SACCS has commissioned various studies and research into the short and longer term outcomes of the children in our care.

The following findings are extractions from the SACCS commissioned research carried out between January 2007 and April 2008, and concentrated on the 117 children who had been placed at SACCS since 1991. Of these children the research criteria required them to be at least 16 years old (77 children). Of these 77 children only 34 (47%) were traceable, and of these only 16 (21%) agreed to take part in the research.

The average age of the young people at the time of:

  • The study was 18.8 years old
  • Placement was 8.4 years old
  • Moving on was 12.6 years old

The average time spent in the SACCS residential home was 4.2 years.

The average time elapsed since leaving SACCS was 6 years.

 

Outcomes and Findings

Emotional and Behavioural Well Being

  • 94% of the young people felt that there had been a positive long-term improvement in their emotional and/or behavioural well-being as a result of the care they received from SACCS.
  • Specifically, the young people commented that they were more confident, happier,  less fearful, more trustful, and had greater personal control.

Physical Health

  • 100% of the young people stated that they had not had any serious health problems.

Early Parenthood

  • None (100%) of the young people had become an early parent (15-19 years old).
  • Only one young person had become a parent aged 24 years old. This young person was in a stable relationship and looking forward to their second child.

Education

  • Of the 94% of our young people who participated; 80% had taken GCSE exams, usually around the age of 16 years old.
  • 50% of the young people obtained a total of 40 GCSEs between them or an average of 5 each at grade C or higher.  Of these 31% achieved 5 grade A*-C.
  • 31% also achieved GNVQs and or NVQs.
  • 25% of the young people also obtained a range of other qualifications.
  • At the time of the research 1 young person was at University whilst a further 11 young people were in further education.

Accommodation

  • 75% of the young people had moved only once or twice since leaving SACCS residential care.
  • At the time of the study 44% of the young people were in independent living; 25% were in supported lodging; 18% were in foster placements; 6% (1) were in a children's home and 6% (1) were in an adoptive placement.
  • Only 1 young person had been to a young offender institution since moving on from SACCS residential care.

Contact

  • 56% of the young people continued to have contact with family members.
  • 44% had no contact at all with family members.

Criminal Proceedings

  • Of the young people surveyed, 56% had never been convicted or cautioned.
  • 30% of the young people had been convicted, but they suggested this was down to a phase in their youth that they had left behind.
  • Only 1 young person had been convicted for violence against another person.

Future Development

The continual nature of the development of the SACCS Recovery Programme requires a constant assessment of the work that has been undertaken and the work that is currently being undertaken.

Therefore, SACCS is committed to further development to maximise the health and well being of the children and young people in our care by working closer and in partnership with local authorities in enabling commissioners and procurement teams to identify the very small number of children who would require Treatment Level 1 of the SACCS Recovery Programme.

'Assessment is a common part of everyday life. It is a process by which we make decisions, large and small; a process by which we take action by trying to understand where we are and what our future needs (or those of others) are and how we can reach them by defining and obtaining the resources that are needed to do so.'

A Child's Journey to Recovery - Assessment and Planning for Traumatized Children, by Patrick Tomlinson and Terry Philpot, foreword by Mary Walsh.