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Disabled Children Living Away from Home in the UK

Recognizing Hazards and Promoting Good Practice

University of Warwick, England, J.M.Read{at}warwick.ac.uk

Christine Harrison

University of Warwick, England, c.harrison{at}warwick.ac.uk

• Summary: The first part of the article reviews existing findings about disabled children in the UK who are living away from home, and outlines the limitations of current knowledge. The second part highlights research findings about the general population of children who live away from their families, and explores their relevance for separated disabled children. Finally, there is a summary of key issues which merit further investigation, if the needs of this group of disabled children and their families are to be better served.

• Findings: Disabled children in the UK have a significantly higher chance than their non-disabled peers of spending substantial proportions of their childhoods living apart from their families of origin. Despite this, information about them is limited and they have had only a shadowy presence on the research and policy agendas concerned with separated children. The article reviews existing research and also highlights key findings from research on the general population of children in the public care system. Its relevance for the more specific population of disabled children who live apart from their families is then explored.

• Applications: The authors identify areas that warrant urgent consideration if the needs of disabled children and those close to them are to be better served.

Key Words: children • disability • looked after practice • separation

Journal of Social Work, Vol. 2, No. 2, 211-231 (2002)
DOI: 10.1177/146801730200200206


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