Our Lives, Our Care 2016: Looked after children’s views on their well-being

Professor Julie Selwyn, University of Bristol  and Linda Briheim-Crookall,  Coram Voice

Measuring subjective well-being enables us to understand children’s experience of care by putting their voice at the centre.

The University of Bristol and Coram Voice developed the Bright Spots Well-Being Indicators to capture the specific domains that were important to looked after children – recognising their unique experiences and that they differ from children in the general population. The indicators are measured by the ‘Your Life, Your Care’ survey.

The indicators were developed from literature reviews, roundtable discussions with professionals and, importantly, from what 140 looked after children and young people told us through focus groups and individual interviews. They have been carefully tested and piloted to ensure that they are robust measures of what is important to children’s well-being.

This report summarises the findings from the 611 children and young people who completed the Bright Spots’ ‘Your Life, Your Care’ survey in six local authority areas, we conclude the report with recommendations for policy and practice.