Collection

Family Routes longitudinal study

Family Routes tracks the needs, experiences and outcomes of children leaving care on an adoption order or special guardianship order in England.

• From: Department for Education
• Published: 25 September 2025
• Last updated: 24 March 2026 — See all updates

Family Routes is a longitudinal study intended to track the needs, experiences and outcomes of children leaving care on an adoption order or special guardianship order in England.

This series of reports draws on:

• in-depth interviews with 74 families:
  • 40 adoptive families
  • 34 special guardianship families
• data analysis of Department for Education administrative datasets

Research reports

• Family Routes: educational outcomes for children in long-term foster care
  • 24 March 2026
  • Research and analysis
• Family Routes: exploring the needs and experiences of young people
  • 29 January 2026
  • Research and analysis
• Family Routes: children who returned to care
  • 25 September 2025
  • Research and analysis
• Family Routes: data analysis – methodology and core sample
  • 25 September 2025
  • Research and analysis
• Family Routes study: making decisions about their children’s care
  • 26 June 2025
  • Research and analysis
• Family Routes study: methodological paper
  • 27 September 2024
  • Research and analysis

Published 25 September 2025

Last updated 24 March 2026 + show all updates

1. 24 March 2026

   Added 'Family Routes: educational outcomes for children in long-term foster care'.

2. 29 January 2026

   Added ' Family Routes: exploring the needs and experiences of young people'.

3. 25 September 2025

   First published.