“Your heart’s just dismantling’: The separation of siblings through the care system and custody

It is estimated that over 40,000 children ‘looked after’ by local authorities in the UK are living separated from their brothers and sisters, but the real figure remains unknown. This paper presents findings from research carried out in Scotland that draws attention to an often-hidden population, that is siblings where one is care-experienced and the other has lost their liberty, either through a period spent in secure care or in prison. A mixed methods approach was taken. This involved an analysis of 200 case files from the Children’s Hearings System, Scotland’s care and justice system for children and young people. Secondly, the qualitative research heard from children and young people directly affected and professionals working in the system. It was extremely challenging to access young people for this study because they are not systematically identified by organisations. This paper is a way of raising awareness to help this population to be seen and counteract the marginalisation they continue to encounter. The paper concludes with a call for local authorities, organisations within the care system and prisons to have resources allocated to work collectively to identify and better support children and young people affected, not only to maintain but also rebuild relationships with their siblings.