Understanding Looked After Children

This essential guide offers a compassionate and practical roadmap for anyone supporting children in foster care, diving deep into the psychological realities these young people face. The author provides a clear-eyed look at how trauma, attachment issues, and the experience of being in the care system shape a child's mental health and behavior. It translates complex psychological concepts into accessible insights, making it an invaluable resource for understanding the emotional world of a looked after child. The book thoughtfully examines how these challenges ripple through the entire foster family dynamic.

What sets this work apart is its unwavering focus on empowering the foster carer as a central agent of healing, while also highlighting the crucial role of the wider support network. It moves beyond theory to offer a framework for building resilience, not just for the child but for the caregivers themselves. This is a vital read for foster parents, kinship carers, and social work students seeking to make a tangible difference, providing the knowledge and perspective needed to navigate this complex journey with greater confidence and empathy.