Suchergebnisse

Background
Not enough is known about how the family justice system is working, the children and families using these services, and their wider outcomes beyond their involvement with the family court. The Nuffield Family Justice Observatory (FJO) Data Partnership, comprising a bespoke analysis platform hosted within the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage (SAIL) Databank and analytical teams at Lancaster and Swansea Universities, has been established to address this knowledge deficit.
MethodsFamily justice data is being deposited in the SAIL Databank. Data are acquired using a standardised split-file approach, stored in an anonymised format and made available to projects as linked data using a unique encrypted project anonymised linkage field. These data can be augmented with a wealth of available health, education and other governmental/social routinely collected datasets, and future data acquired from other sources, for a range of research projects.
ResultsChildren and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) Cymru data has been transferred to the SAIL Databank, and agreements to transfer the Cafcass England data are being finalised. Applications are now welcomed to use these data to enhance understanding of the family justice system and children and families involved with the family courts in public and private law. Access will be facilitated through the SAIL Databank, subject to relevant governance procedures.
ConclusionWe will discuss the rationale of the Nuffield FJO Data Partnership, and how it aims to a) increase capacity and capability of researchers and data scientists utilising family justice and other relevant administrative datasets, b) improve understanding about the family justice system using data from the Cafcass in England and Wales, c) demonstrate the complexities and value of data linkage, and d) assist future policy and practice development. We will discuss matching rates for the Cafcass Cymru data and linkages that have been made to other datasets within the SAIL Databank. We will also set out the support available from the partnership to those wishing to access and utilise family justice data.

ObjectivesUnder section 31 (s.31) of the UK Children Act 1989, public law care proceedings can be issued if there is concern a child is subject to, or at risk of significant harm. We examined health vulnerabilities of parents involved in public law care proceedings in the two-year period prior to involvement.
ApproachOur study created an anonymised individual-level population-based cohort, with a matched comparison group of parents in Wales who were not subject to care proceedings, matched on age, sex and deprivation. Family court data provided by Cafcass Cymru were linked to population-level healthcare records held within the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage (SAIL) Databank. Demographic characteristics, overall health service use and health profiles of parents of children subject to s.31 care proceedings between 2011 and 2019 were examined.
ResultsData were available for 8,821 parents involved in care proceedings between 2011 and 2019, with a comparison group of 32,006 parents. Nearly half (47.6%) of cohort parents resided in the most deprived quintile. Higher levels of healthcare use were found for cohort mothers and fathers compared to the comparison group across multiple healthcare settings, with the most pronounced differences for emergency department attendances (59.3% vs 37.0%). Health conditions with the largest variation between groups were related to mental health (43.6% vs 16.0%), substance use (19.4% vs 1.6%) and injuries (41.5% vs 23.6%).
ConclusionThis study highlights the heightened socioeconomic and health vulnerabilities of parents who experience care proceedings concerning a child. Better understanding of the needs and vulnerabilities of this population may provide opportunities to improve a range of support and preventative interventions that respond to crises in the community.

IntroductionUnder section 31 of the Children Act 1989, public law care proceedings can be issued if there is concern a child is subject to, or at risk of significant harm, which can lead to removal of a child from parents. Appropriate and effective health and social support are required to potentially prevent some of the need for these proceedings. More comprehensive evidence of the health needs and vulnerabilities of parents will enable enhanced response from family courts and integrated other services.
ObjectiveTo examine health vulnerabilities of parents involved in care proceedings in the two-year period prior to involvement.
MethodsFamily court data provided by Cafcass Cymru were linked to population-based health records held within the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage Databank. Linked data were available for 8,821 parents of children involved in care proceedings between 2011 and 2019. Findings were benchmarked with reference to a comparison group of parents matched on sex, age, and deprivation (n = 32,006), not subject to care proceedings. Demographic characteristics, overall health service use, and health profiles of parents were examined. Descriptive and statistical tests of independence were used.
ResultsNearly half of cohort parents (47.6%) resided in the most deprived quintile. They had higher levels of healthcare use compared to the comparison group across multiple healthcare settings, with the most pronounced differences for emergency department attendances (59.3% vs 37.0%). Health conditions with the largest variation between groups were related to mental health (43.6% vs 16.0%), substance use (19.4% vs 1.6%) and injuries (41.5% vs 23.6%).
ConclusionThis study highlights the heightened socioeconomic and health vulnerabilities of parents who experience care proceedings concerning a child. Better understanding of the needs and vulnerabilities of this population may provide opportunities to improve a range of support and preventative interventions that respond to crises in the community.

Introduction
Better use of administrative data is essential to enhance understanding about the family justice system, and characteristics and outcomes for children and families. The Nuffield Family Justice Observatory Data Partnership supports this aim through analyses of core family justice datasets. When a child is involved in family court proceedings in Wales, Cafcass Cymru are employed to represent a child's best interests. This paper provides an overview of the Cafcass Cymru data, and linkage to population level health and other administrative datasets held within the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage (SAIL) Databank. Two data linkage example analyses are described. Further research opportunities are outlined.
Methods
Cafcass Cymru data was transferred to SAIL using a standardised approach to provide de-identified data with Anonymised Linking Fields (ALF) for successfully matched records. Three cohorts were created: all individuals involved in family court applications; all individuals with an ALF allowing subsequent health data linkage; and all individuals with a Residential Anonymised Linking Field (RALF) and Lower Super Output Area (LSOA) enabling area level deprivation analysis.
Results
Cafcass Cymru data are available containing 12,745 public law applications between 2011 and 2019, with 52,023 applications from 2005 to 2019 for private law. The overall match rate was 80%, with variations observed by time, law type, roles, gender and age. Forty per cent had hospital inpatient admissions 2 years prior or after application receipt at Cafcass Cymru, of which 27% were for emergency admissions; 54% had an emergency department attendance and 61% an outpatient appointment during the same period. Individuals involved in public or private law applications were more likely to reside in deprived areas.
Conclusion
The Nuffield Family Justice Observatory Data Partnership will enhance research opportunities to better understand the family justice system and outcomes for children and families. Population level Cafcass Cymru data can be accessed through the SAIL Databank. Forthcoming data acquisition will also facilitate further analyses and insight.