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BJSW Advance Access originally published online on July 28, 2009
British Journal of Social Work 2009 39(7):1381-1392; doi:10.1093/bjsw/bcp076
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© The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The British Association of Social Workers. All rights reserved.

Use of Residential Care in Europe for Children Aged Under Three: Some Lessons from Neurobiology

Andy Bilson

Andy Bilson is Professor of Social Work Research at the University of Central Lancashire He is co-director of The Centre, UCLan's centre for promoting and researching children and young people's participation, inclusion and empowerment. He was Assistant Director in Fife Social Work Department and NCH Wales before being Director of the Council of Europe and UNICEF's observatory on children's rights, the Centre for Europe's Children at Glasgow University. He has carried out research and consultancy throughout the UK and Ireland and in a wide range of countries internationally having undertaken work organisations including UNICEF, World Bank, UNDP, Save the Children, Soros Foundation and EveryChild.

Correspondence to Professor Andy Bilson, School of Social Work, University of Central Lancashire, Preston PR1 2HE. E-mail: abilson{at}uclan.ac.uk


  Abstract

This critical commentary reviews the research into the use of residential care for children aged under three years and looks at some of the explanations that can be found for this in neurobiology. There continue to be high numbers and rates of these vulnerable children in institutions not only in the former Soviet states, but also in Western Europe. The new research provides strong evidence on the negative consequences for these children, particularly for those who remain in institutional care beyond the age of six months. Explanations from neurobiology sit well beside understandings drawn from attachment theory and start to show the mechanisms for this and also the ability of the brain to compensate.

Keywords: Residential care, Europe, Neurobiology


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