Fostering changes A cognitive-behavioural approach to help foster carers manage children A project has been set up in a socially deprived inner-London borough to provide foster carers with practical skills in the management of child behaviour. Clare Pallett, Stephen Scott, Kathy Blackeby, William Yule and Roger Weissman discuss why the project was set up and consider how carers learn best. Social workers often provide good general support to carers and placements, but may not offer more specific practical advice in managing behaviour so well. A training course based on cognitivebehavioural theory is described and case examples given. The evidence presented shows significant improvements in carer-child interaction, child difficulty, specific child problems causing most worry to carers, and child emotional symptoms; insignificant improvements were seen in hyperactivity and conduct problems.

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Two important recent government publications hopefully signal a radical shift for the mental health of children looked after by the public care system. These publications draw on recent research, and highlight the need to improve services and the quality of care for children and young people looked after by local authorities. The following summary provides the context for examining a research article that draws on the views of children and young people within the care system and a paper that critiques the use of the action and assessment records for children who are looked after.

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