Disabilities in children receiving social care and support in Wales and factors associated with placement into care: A population-based data linkage study

Griffiths, Lucy; Childs, Michael Jeanne; Bailey, Grace; Griffiths, Lucy J.; Hodges, Helen; Elliott, Martin; Cowley, Laura

doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107510

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Disabilities in children receiving social care and support in Wales and factors associated with placement into care: A population-based data linkage study

Lucy Griffiths

, Michael Jeanne Childs, Grace Bailey

, Lucy J. Griffiths, Helen Hodges, Martin Elliott, Laura Cowley

Child Abuse & Neglect, Volume: 166, Start page: 107510

Swansea University Authors: Lucy Griffiths , Grace Bailey , Helen Hodges, Laura Cowley

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DOI (Published version): 10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107510

Abstract

ObjectivesTo determine the prevalence of disability amongst children receiving care and support in Wales (2017–2021), and examine the proportion of disabled children with different combinations of disabilities, by their care status (in care/not in care). To investigate risk factors associated with p...

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Published in:	Child Abuse & Neglect
ISSN:	0145-2134
Published:	Elsevier BV 2025
Online Access:	Check full text
URI:	https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa69574

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To investigate risk factors associated with placement in care amongst these children.MethodWe used Children Receiving Care and Support Census records held in the Secure Anonymized Information Linkage Databank linked to demographic records and the Children Looked After Census. We used bar charts and UpSet plots for data visualization and conducted multivariable logistic regression analyses to model factors associated with disabled children being placed in care.ResultsOf 37,765 children receiving care and support, 10,720 (28 %) had a disability and 3385 (32 %) disabled children were placed in care. The most common impairments were risk perception (44 %) and mental health problems (41 %). Infants <1 year were more likely to enter care compared with children aged ≥16 (Odds Ratio 3.00, 95 % Confidence Interval 1.93–4.66). Black children (1.64, (1.09–2.42)), and children of mixed (2.34, (1.77–3.08)), or ‘other’ (1.81, (1.16–2.77)) ethnicity were more likely to enter care compared with White children. Child mental health problems were associated with entering care (1.82 (1.60–2.07)) as were the following parental factors: mental ill health (1.45 (1.31–1.62)), substance/alcohol misuse (3.23 (2.87–3.64)), learning disabilities (2.97 (2.56–3.45)), and domestic abuse (1.47 (1.30–1.65)).ConclusionsThis novel, population-wide evidence will contribute to the planning and provision of targeted care and support for disabled children and their families, to help prevent children entering care.</abstract><type>Journal Article</type><journal>Child Abuse &amp; Neglect</journal><volume>166</volume><journalNumber/><paginationStart>107510</paginationStart><paginationEnd/><publisher>Elsevier BV</publisher><placeOfPublication/><isbnPrint/><isbnElectronic/><issnPrint>0145-2134</issnPrint><issnElectronic/><keywords>Disabilities; Data linkage; Administrative data; Children in care; Risk factors</keywords><publishedDay>1</publishedDay><publishedMonth>8</publishedMonth><publishedYear>2025</publishedYear><publishedDate>2025-08-01</publishedDate><doi>10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107510</doi><url/><notes/><college>COLLEGE NANME</college><department>Medical School</department><CollegeCode>COLLEGE CODE</CollegeCode><DepartmentCode>MEDS</DepartmentCode><institution>Swansea University</institution><apcterm>SU Library paid the OA fee (TA Institutional Deal)</apcterm><funders>This work was supported by the Children's Social Care Research and Development Centre (CASCADE) Partnership. The CASCADE partnership receives infrastructure funding from Health and Care Research Wales (517199). This project was funded by ADR UK (Administrative Data Research UK). ADR UK is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (part of UK Research and Innovation).</funders><projectreference/><lastEdited>2025-05-28T13:07:24.4711348</lastEdited><Created>2025-05-28T12:56:35.2065338</Created><path><level id="1">Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences</level><level id="2">Swansea University Medical School - Health Data Science</level></path><authors><author><firstname>Lucy</firstname><surname>Griffiths</surname><orcid>0000-0001-9230-624X</orcid><order>1</order></author><author><firstname>Michael Jeanne</firstname><surname>Childs</surname><order>2</order></author><author><firstname>Grace</firstname><surname>Bailey</surname><orcid>0000-0003-4646-3134</orcid><order>3</order></author><author><firstname>Lucy J.</firstname><surname>Griffiths</surname><order>4</order></author><author><firstname>Helen</firstname><surname>Hodges</surname><orcid/><order>5</order></author><author><firstname>Martin</firstname><surname>Elliott</surname><order>6</order></author><author><firstname>Laura</firstname><surname>Cowley</surname><order>7</order></author></authors><documents><document><filename>69574__34353__b76378345f4740d798ec41d671fe383f.pdf</filename><originalFilename>69574.VoR.pdf</originalFilename><uploaded>2025-05-28T13:02:58.6170218</uploaded><type>Output</type><contentLength>5255733</contentLength><contentType>application/pdf</contentType><version>Version of Record</version><cronfaStatus>true</cronfaStatus><documentNotes>© 2025 The Authors. 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spelling	2025-05-28T13:07:24.4711348 v2 69574 2025-05-28 Disabilities in children receiving social care and support in Wales and factors associated with placement into care: A population-based data linkage study e35ea6ea4b429e812ef204b048131d93 0000-0001-9230-624X Lucy Griffiths Lucy Griffiths true false 1e09a407fca9e8047e7738b18d381130 0000-0003-4646-3134 Grace Bailey Grace Bailey true false da6d3c67ebfa9999e7f95c0c588cdd56 Helen Hodges Helen Hodges true false a80501f280e89fee276510b25fc68e77 Laura Cowley Laura Cowley true false 2025-05-28 MEDS ObjectivesTo determine the prevalence of disability amongst children receiving care and support in Wales (2017–2021), and examine the proportion of disabled children with different combinations of disabilities, by their care status (in care/not in care). To investigate risk factors associated with placement in care amongst these children.MethodWe used Children Receiving Care and Support Census records held in the Secure Anonymized Information Linkage Databank linked to demographic records and the Children Looked After Census. We used bar charts and UpSet plots for data visualization and conducted multivariable logistic regression analyses to model factors associated with disabled children being placed in care.ResultsOf 37,765 children receiving care and support, 10,720 (28 %) had a disability and 3385 (32 %) disabled children were placed in care. The most common impairments were risk perception (44 %) and mental health problems (41 %). Infants <1 year were more likely to enter care compared with children aged ≥16 (Odds Ratio 3.00, 95 % Confidence Interval 1.93–4.66). Black children (1.64, (1.09–2.42)), and children of mixed (2.34, (1.77–3.08)), or ‘other’ (1.81, (1.16–2.77)) ethnicity were more likely to enter care compared with White children. Child mental health problems were associated with entering care (1.82 (1.60–2.07)) as were the following parental factors: mental ill health (1.45 (1.31–1.62)), substance/alcohol misuse (3.23 (2.87–3.64)), learning disabilities (2.97 (2.56–3.45)), and domestic abuse (1.47 (1.30–1.65)).ConclusionsThis novel, population-wide evidence will contribute to the planning and provision of targeted care and support for disabled children and their families, to help prevent children entering care. Journal Article Child Abuse & Neglect 166 107510 Elsevier BV 0145-2134 Disabilities; Data linkage; Administrative data; Children in care; Risk factors 1 8 2025 2025-08-01 10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107510 COLLEGE NANME Medical School COLLEGE CODE MEDS Swansea University SU Library paid the OA fee (TA Institutional Deal) This work was supported by the Children's Social Care Research and Development Centre (CASCADE) Partnership. The CASCADE partnership receives infrastructure funding from Health and Care Research Wales (517199). This project was funded by ADR UK (Administrative Data Research UK). ADR UK is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (part of UK Research and Innovation). 2025-05-28T13:07:24.4711348 2025-05-28T12:56:35.2065338 Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences Swansea University Medical School - Health Data Science Lucy Griffiths 0000-0001-9230-624X 1 Michael Jeanne Childs 2 Grace Bailey 0000-0003-4646-3134 3 Lucy J. Griffiths 4 Helen Hodges 5 Martin Elliott 6 Laura Cowley 7 69574__34353__b76378345f4740d798ec41d671fe383f.pdf 69574.VoR.pdf 2025-05-28T13:02:58.6170218 Output 5255733 application/pdf Version of Record true © 2025 The Authors. This is an open access article under the CC BY license. true eng http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
title	Disabilities in children receiving social care and support in Wales and factors associated with placement into care: A population-based data linkage study
spellingShingle	Disabilities in children receiving social care and support in Wales and factors associated with placement into care: A population-based data linkage study Lucy Griffiths Grace Bailey Helen Hodges Laura Cowley
title_short	Disabilities in children receiving social care and support in Wales and factors associated with placement into care: A population-based data linkage study
title_full	Disabilities in children receiving social care and support in Wales and factors associated with placement into care: A population-based data linkage study
title_fullStr	Disabilities in children receiving social care and support in Wales and factors associated with placement into care: A population-based data linkage study
title_full_unstemmed	Disabilities in children receiving social care and support in Wales and factors associated with placement into care: A population-based data linkage study
title_sort	Disabilities in children receiving social care and support in Wales and factors associated with placement into care: A population-based data linkage study
author_id_str_mv	e35ea6ea4b429e812ef204b048131d93 1e09a407fca9e8047e7738b18d381130 da6d3c67ebfa9999e7f95c0c588cdd56 a80501f280e89fee276510b25fc68e77
author_id_fullname_str_mv	e35ea6ea4b429e812ef204b048131d93_*_Lucy Griffiths 1e09a407fca9e8047e7738b18d381130__Grace Bailey da6d3c67ebfa9999e7f95c0c588cdd56__Helen Hodges a80501f280e89fee276510b25fc68e77_*_Laura Cowley
author	Lucy Griffiths Grace Bailey Helen Hodges Laura Cowley
author2	Lucy Griffiths Michael Jeanne Childs Grace Bailey Lucy J. Griffiths Helen Hodges Martin Elliott Laura Cowley
format	Journal article
container_title	Child Abuse & Neglect
container_volume	166
container_start_page	107510
publishDate	2025
institution	Swansea University
issn	0145-2134
doi_str_mv	10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107510
publisher	Elsevier BV
college_str	Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
hierarchytype
hierarchy_top_id	facultyofmedicinehealthandlifesciences
hierarchy_top_title	Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id	facultyofmedicinehealthandlifesciences
hierarchy_parent_title	Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
department_str	Swansea University Medical School - Health Data Science{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences{{{_:::_}}}Swansea University Medical School - Health Data Science
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description	ObjectivesTo determine the prevalence of disability amongst children receiving care and support in Wales (2017–2021), and examine the proportion of disabled children with different combinations of disabilities, by their care status (in care/not in care). To investigate risk factors associated with placement in care amongst these children.MethodWe used Children Receiving Care and Support Census records held in the Secure Anonymized Information Linkage Databank linked to demographic records and the Children Looked After Census. We used bar charts and UpSet plots for data visualization and conducted multivariable logistic regression analyses to model factors associated with disabled children being placed in care.ResultsOf 37,765 children receiving care and support, 10,720 (28 %) had a disability and 3385 (32 %) disabled children were placed in care. The most common impairments were risk perception (44 %) and mental health problems (41 %). Infants <1 year were more likely to enter care compared with children aged ≥16 (Odds Ratio 3.00, 95 % Confidence Interval 1.93–4.66). Black children (1.64, (1.09–2.42)), and children of mixed (2.34, (1.77–3.08)), or ‘other’ (1.81, (1.16–2.77)) ethnicity were more likely to enter care compared with White children. Child mental health problems were associated with entering care (1.82 (1.60–2.07)) as were the following parental factors: mental ill health (1.45 (1.31–1.62)), substance/alcohol misuse (3.23 (2.87–3.64)), learning disabilities (2.97 (2.56–3.45)), and domestic abuse (1.47 (1.30–1.65)).ConclusionsThis novel, population-wide evidence will contribute to the planning and provision of targeted care and support for disabled children and their families, to help prevent children entering care.
published_date	2025-08-01T05:25:02Z
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Disabilities in children receiving social care and support in Wales and factors associated with placement into care: A population-based data linkage study

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