The Mental Health of Children and Young People Growing Up in State Care in England, 2020-2021

Wijedasa, Dinithi and Yoon, Yeosun and Harding, Sarah and Schmits, Florie and Hahn, Rachel (2025). The Mental Health of Children and Young People Growing Up in State Care in England, 2020-2021. [Data Collection]. Colchester, Essex: UK Data Service. 10.5255/UKDA-SN-857176

Around two-thirds of children are taken into State care due to experiences of severe maltreatment such as abuse or neglect. Consequently, being taken into care is an ‘intervention’ for this vulnerable group of children, with the expectation that State care will then ameliorate or stabilise their mental health. Despite this, numerous research studies indicate that mental health concerns in this vulnerable child population remains very high. Mental ill health experienced in childhood and adolescence impacts the short and long-term health, well-being, socioeconomic trajectories and family life of children and young people. This also exerts pressure and a financial toll on the health and social care systems, and the State through its impact on mental health services, the cost of interventions and pressure on State benefits systems. To facilitate recovery and better mental health, it is important to understand if and how the mental health of children in care varies over time and the contextual factors that influence their mental health.

The two linked ESRC-funded research studies set out to answer these questions, through (1) a 5-year longitudinal follow-up of the mental health of children in care in England through secondary analyses of longitudinal, national-level administrative data (2016-2021) and (2) a survey of children and young people aged 11-18 years in care in 2020 (Wave 1) and 2021 (Wave 2).

This collection contains the self-reported survey data from young people in State care aged 11-18 years. The survey was conducted in 2020 and repeated in 2021. The Wave 1 survey contains information on 905 children and young people in care from 18 local authorities (LAs) in England. The Wave 2 survey data contains information on 681 children and young people in care from 14 LAs in England. Of these, 262 children and young people responded to both the Wave 1 and 2 survey.

Data description (abstract)

This collection contains the self-reported survey data from young people in State care aged 11-18 years. The survey was conducted in 2020 and repeated in 2021. The Wave 1 survey data contains information on 905 children and young people in care from 18 local authorities (LAs) in England. The Wave 2 survey data contains information on 681 children and young people in care from 14 LAs in England. Of these, 262 children and young people responded to both the Wave 1 and 2 survey.

Data creators:

Creator Name	Affiliation	ORCID (as URL)
Wijedasa Dinithi	University of Bristol	https://orcid.org/my-orcid?orcid=0000-0002-2577-1560
Yoon Yeosun	University of Bristol
Harding Sarah	University of Bristol
Schmits Florie	University of Bristol
Hahn Rachel	University of Bristol

Contributors:

Name	Affiliation	ORCID (as URL)
Wijedasa Dinithi	University of Bristol
Yoon Yeosun	University of Bristol
Harding Sarah	University of Bristol
Schmits Florie	University of Bristol
Hahn Rachel	University of Bristol

Sponsors:

Economic and Social Research Council

Grant reference:

ES/V015699/1 AND ES/R006482/1

Topic classification:

Social welfare policy and systems
Health
Psychology

Keywords:

MENTAL HEALTH, SURVEYS, CHILDREN IN CARE

Project title:

Longitudinal mental health trajectories of children growing up in State care in England: An exploration of patterns and influencing factors AND MH-CAT: A longitudinal survey of the mental health of children in State Care in England through the COVID-19 pandemic

Grant holders:

Dinithi Wijedasa

Project dates: