Citation

Hillen T, Gafson L. Clin. Child Psychol. Psychiatry 2014; 20(3): 486-499.

Affiliation

Child and Family Department, The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, Tavistock Centre, UK.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1359104514530733

PMID

24733375

Abstract

Pre-school children placed in local authority care show elevated rates of mental health disorders when compared to the general population. This study investigated risk factors for mental health disorders relating to the period prior to entering care and while in care. A representative sample of 43 children in care aged 0-72 months in an inner London borough underwent comprehensive multidimensional assessments. Presence of emotional, behavioural, attachment and adaptive disorders was ascertained. Exposure to two pre-placement risk factors and six placement risk factors was compared between children with and without a disorder. A total of 26 children (60.5%) had at least one mental health disorder. The two pre-placement risk factors, multiple types of maltreatment and entry into care after the age of 6 months, were both significantly associated with mental health disorders. The three placement risk factors of sudden placement moves, multiple placement moves and child-carer alienation showed a significant association with mental health disorders. There was a strong correlation between the number of risk factors and the number of co-morbid mental health disorders per child (r =.67, p <.001). In conclusion, this study identified five modifiable risk factors related to the quality of safeguarding and fostering services which showed a significant association with pre-school mental health.

Language: en