ABSTRACT
This chapter analyses the process of analysis by considering outcomes for the children resident in the nine homes. A placement in a residential home is often just one in a series of interventions experienced by children looked after. Initially, the analysis focused on whether the child’s needs were clearly defined at the point of entry to the home. The nature of admissions varied widely, from those that were carefully planned to same day emergency placements. Naturally, there was greater scope for collecting relevant information on a child’s needs through a planned admission, although the use made of information collected is as important as how it is collected. The application of the prediction method to Joe, based on the information collected on his situation on entry to Red, set out a generally poor prognosis. Given all of his background characteristics the most likely scenario predicted was that his delinquency and drug habit would escalate and he would find himself in custody.
