Session on the work of CELCIS’s Permanence and Care Team (PaCT) whose role is to support local authorities in improving permanence process and practice for looked after children. Contributed by: CELCIS

1. Aresearcher on taprather than on top:
From practice to research, policy and
outcomes
Andressa M. Gadda, PhD
PaCT Research Associate
Email: andressa.gadda@strath.ac.uk
Carol Wassell
PaCT Consultant
Email: carol.wassell@strath.ac.uk www.celcis.org
www.celcis.org

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CELCIS
CELCIS is the Centre for Excellence for
Looked After Children in Scotland.
Together with partners, we are working
to improve the lives of all looked after
children in Scotland.

3. www.celcis.org
Four Routes to
Permanence
• Return/remain at home with or after support (this
includes settled informal kinship arrangements)
• Permanence through a permanence order, where long
term corporate parenting is needed. This can be in
formal kinship care, foster care or residential care
• A relevant Section 11 Order – this is intended to be a
Kinship Care Order from 2015
• Adoption

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The Permanence and
Care Team (PaCT)

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We focus on….

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The Research Topic
The appointment of Safeguarders by the
Children’s Hearing
‘Safeguarders are persons who
may be appointed by children’s
hearings or sheriffs when they
think this is required to
safeguard the interests of the
child in the proceedings. Their
role is to provide support and
advice for the proceedings.’
(Hill et al. 2000: iii)

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A researcher on tap
rather than on top

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The Hypothesis
Safeguarders are being appointed by
Children’s Hearing more frequently in
this than in other LAs due to Panel
Members lack of confidence in Social
Workers’ assessments and reports. This
in turn further undermines Social
Workers’ confidence.

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Research Questions
– How often are Safeguarders appointed by the Children’s
Hearing in this LA? How does this compare with other
LAs?
– What factors influence Children’s Hearing’s decision to
appoint a Safeguarder?
– Whether and how do reports produced by Safeguarders
differ from those produced by Social Workers?
– What impact does the appointment of Safeguarders
have on decision-making – particularly with regards
permanence?

10. www.celcis.org
Ethical
Issues
Confidentiality Anonymity
Informed
consent
Methodo-
logical
Issues
What
information
to gather?
How to
gather
information?
How to
analyse data?
Time and
resources
Search
literature Analysis
and
writing up
of dataGather
evidence

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Developing the research

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CELCIS
SCRA
CHS
Malcolm Hill
Scottish
Ssafeguarders
Association
Children 1st
Scottish
Government
Information on
the number of
safeguarders
appointed
PI of most recent
research on
appointment of
Safeguarders
Provides support/advocacy
to Safeguarders.
Membership is voluntary.
Management
of the National
Safeguarders
Panel (since
June 2013)
Policy

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Engaging partners in co-
production

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Engaging partners in co-
production
CONCERNS
• Managing different needs and
expectations.
• Managing contentious issues.
• Time consuming.
• Loss of interest and buy-in from original
partner.
• Availability of ‘researchers on tap’

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Practice-based research
Practitioners identify
issues requiring further
exploration
Practitioners develop
hypothesis and/or
research questions
Practitioners and
researchers work
together to develop and
carry out the research
Research findings address
research-users needs –
direct impact on practice
and/or policy
BUT…
How to overcome/address
barriers?
How to ensure continuous
buy in from stakeholders?
How to better align needs,
expectations and time-
frameworks?
How to create further
opportunities for researchers
on tap rather than on top?