This literature review highlights the voices of looked after children in the UK from existing research, on their journey through the care system. The review establishes both the positive and adverse experiences for children and young people of being in care and provides them with a platform to be heard without distortion.This literature review supports the Bright Spots project, a research project between the University of Bristol and Coram Voice. The project aims to improve the care journey for all looked after children and highlight the ‘bright spots’ of practice within local authorities that contribute to the positive aspects of being in care. The intention is that local authorities will understand the causes of those bright spots so that they can adopt the very best standards of care.
The chapters in this literature review discuss children's views on:
- relationships (with siblings, parents, carers, social workers etc)
- rights and responsibilities in care
- additional needs (refugee and asylum-seeking youth, young people with disabilities, young parents, young people from minority ethnic backgrounds, care leavers, young people in residential care, etc)
