Care Crisis Review: Professionals survey results

Authors: Calum Webb, Martin Heneghan, Permala Sehmar and Kate Morris
The findings detailed within this short paper follow analysis of data generated from a survey conducted by Family Rights Group on behalf of the Care Crisis Review. The survey was designed to examine how a range of professionals working in (or coming into contact with) the children’s social care and family justice system, understand and experience the ‘care crisis’ day to day. It was also intended to elicit their ideas and views about possible responses to the crisis. The survey was promoted via social media, FRG’s newsletter, via the organisations represented on the Review’s Stakeholder Advisory Group and various professional and practice networks.
Decision makers and practitioners were asked to complete the survey (hosted by Survey Monkey) during February and March 2018.The survey was ‘self-selecting’ in that professionals actively chose to respond, and inevitably this means this cannot be a representative sample of professionals and the responses to the survey must be considered in that context. Whilst it is therefore difficult to generalise in anyway, the survey responses do however, offer some valuable insights and raise some important questions that have relevance for future developments.
The analysis of survey data summarised the quantifiable responses in a series of charts, some of which are included in this report. The research team used a thematic approach to group the responses to the open ended questions.
The total number responding reached 996 with a geographical spread but particular representation from London, the South West, South East England and North West England. Of the 996 respondents, 807 were from England, 123 from Wales, and 13 from Scotland; the rest operated throughout the UK or did not specify. The respondents included lawyers, social workers including team managers, foster carers as well as others: