This study sought social workers' views on the mental health needs of a sample of foster children. Out of the sample 80% of the children were considered to require treatment from a child mental health professional but only 27% had received any input. The reasons given for not referring for treatment were placement instability, inadequate child mental health resources and insufficient local authority funding. The provision of consultation services to allocated social workers and the availability of child mental health professionals at local authority reviews should be considered.
Meeting the psychiatric needs of children in foster care
