Management, Leadership and Resources in Children's Homes: What Influences Outcomes in Residential Child-Care Settings?

Leslie Hicks, Ian Gibbs, Helen Weatherly, Sarah Byford

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This article provides an overview of research, originally funded by the Department of Health, about the internal management and use of resources in residential child care. It explores ways in which children's homes are managed and leadership is established and the relationship of these to their use of resources and the outcomes for young people in their care. The paper examines variations in the functioning of a sample of 45 non-specialist children's homes drawn from local authority and independent sectors in England. Utilising both qualitative and quantitative analyses including an economics component, the functional relationships of structures, processes, resources and service user outcomes are investigated. The results of multi-level modelling analysis, used to draw together the different strands of the research, are discussed. Main findings indicate that the influence which the process of providing care has on the kind of outcomes experienced by young people is of paramount importance. The paper relates findings to areas for development in practice and its management, specifically in terms of training and policy arenas.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)828-845
Number of pages18
JournalBritish Journal of Social Work
Volume39
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jul 2009

Keywords

  • Residential child care
  • leadership and management
  • social care outcomes
  • economic evaluation
  • multi-level modelling

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