Breakdown of teenage placements

This report presents the results from the first data collection in SFI's longitudinal study of 227 13 to18-year-olds who were placed in care in 2004. It shows that about a quarter of the placements of young people in care break down within 3-15 months. In addition, 15 percent experience two or more changes of care environment.
The researchers analyse factors that have an impact on break down of care. Changes of case workers in particular increase the risk of breakdown. For young people, it is almost entirely emotional problems that have relation to break down.