ABSTRACT
Evaluating out-of-home care for children and young people is usually a difficult and time-consuming task. Comparing outcomes of different forms of care involves complex and very expensive research. In this study of Swedish out-of-home care for teenagers} we have instead focused on what has been called in previous research 'service outcomes' (e.g. Parker etal. 1991; Cheetham etal. 1992; Biehal etal 1995; Sinclair etal. 1995).That concept refers to the extent to which the plans and goals of child welfare are actually carried out in practice. We have studied premature termination of placements, breakdown in care, for a
Swedish national cohort of young people entering care between the ages of 13 and 16.
