Title: Ethnic and religious inequalities in children’s social services in Wales: Patterns and outcomes
Funder: Health and Care Research Wales (Welsh Government)

Abstract: Research in England has identified complex patterns of variation in child welfare provision by ethnic group. Our understanding of child welfare among ethnic minorities in Wales to date is however very limited. This is partly due to relatively little use to date of the administrative data sets. This proposal is the first attempt to build a robust evidence base on ethnic and religious minority child welfare in Wales and among the first in the UK to study health and education outcomes for children who receive social services by ethnicity. It is also the first in the UK to use linked administrative data to consider child welfare intervention in different religious groups. To establish the patterns and rates of ethnic minority children receiving care and support in Wales, this project examines if trends of increasing rates of children looked after over time are linked with ethnic minority population growth. It will investigate the link between social deprivation and rates of ethnic minority children looked after, including any rural/urban difference. The project will capitalise on the comprehensive SAIL databank linking datasets in social care, education and health, with a particular focus on ethnic minority children, highlighting two key outcomes of educational attainment and health service utilisation. Our target population includes three main groups of children who have help from social services: children looked after (CLA), children on the child protection register, and other children receiving care and support but not looked after or on the child protection register. By linking up multiple data sources, including the Census 2011, health and education data, our study will be able to improve the missing data on the key variable ethnicity in social care datasets. Importantly, linking the Census 2011 with the CLA and Children in Need data (pre-2016), in addition to education and health data, will also enable more valuable information to be captured on religion, special education needs and disability. This proposal aligns with the Welsh Government’s policy priority of reducing the need for children to enter care, as well as with its Race Equality Action Plan. The findings will inform the effective organisation and delivery of social care services in Wales, and therefore be of benefit to children and families who are in need of services.

Lay abstract: This study aims to investigate patterns and trends of ethnic and religious inequalities in children’s social services in Wales. Using linked administrative data in social care, education and health, this study will for the first time, produce much needed quantitative evidence on the little-known experience of ethnic and religious minority families receiving social services support. While existing research has found a strong overall link between social deprivation and social services intervention, this relationship does not hold for some ethnic minorities, with sometimes more social services involvement in areas of low deprivation. Why some ethnic minority families living in areas of high deprivation have lower social services involvement remains a puzzle. To date, there is only a very small amount of research in the UK examining the educational outcomes and health service use of ethnic and religious minority children receiving social care support. Our study will shed important light on future policy and practice in child welfare, not just in Wales and the UK but also internationally. The research team will work with the Ethnic Youth Support Team (EYST) to involve existing and potential ethnic minority social services users throughout the life span of the project. An initial consultation session with seven individuals was held in early February to hear about the kind of issues they consider important and of interest. To keep service providers and users informed, a digestable summary of findings will be shared using short videos at month 12 and at the end of the project. We also intend to publish research papers in academic journals to disseminate our findings to a broader field of scholars in social work, and children and youth services nationally and internationally

Research activity codes: 2.3 PSYCHOLOGICAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC FACTORS;8.1 ORGANISATION AND DELIVERY OF SERVICES
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE;DISPUTED AETIOLOGY AND OTHER