About the Practitioner Survey
Twice a year (in January and July), we collected data through Barnardo’s Practitioner Survey.
The survey captures insights from practitioners to understand more about the challenges our children, young people and families are facing. The results from the survey play a vital role in helping us to achieve change for the children and young people we support and helps inform decisions like:
- What we focus on as a charity
- What we say to Government and decision makers across the UK
- What we say in the media
- Our future direction of travel
To supplement the survey findings, we hold focus groups with practitioners. The focus groups aim to build upon the survey findings and explore them in more depth, to unpack practitioners’ thoughts on the needs of children, young people and families, how they are changing, and what may continue to change in the future.
How we’ve used your views to inform our work
We regularly use evidence from the survey in our briefings to MPs and Peers, and other decision makers across the UK, as well as in our media coverage. This helps raise awareness of children's voices and experience. See some of our recent examples below:
Key findings from the January 2024 Practitioner Survey
Emerging and Changing Needs
- Financial issues, poverty and the cost-of-living crisis are the main concerns of practitioners in relation to those they support
- A lack of support and resources; issues around education; and a rise in mental health and wellbeing issues are other key concerns
Poverty
Over the last twelve months:
- 35% of practitioners were concerned that families were unable to afford appropriate sleeping arrangements (e.g. beds or bedding) for their children
- 43% were concerned that children, young people and families did not have enough to eat during the school holidays
- 59% were concerned that children, young people and families could not afford activities during the school holidays
School Attendance
- 68% of practitioners have supported children and young people who have struggled to attend school, over the last twelve months
- Of these practitioners, 83% think these children and young people are going to continue to struggle to attend school over the next few months
Mental Health and Wellbeing
- 74% of practitioners think there has been an increase in the number of children and young people experiencing mental health and wellbeing issues in the last twelve months
- 52% of practitioners have noticed changes in the types of mental health and wellbeing issues experienced by children and young people
- 50% of practitioners have noticed changes in the types of mental health and wellbeing issues experienced by parents/carers
Recommendations from the October 2023 Focus Groups
Analysis of practitioners’ perspectives has raised some urgent issues, highlighting areas that should be prioritised by Barnardo’s and addressed by decision makers.
- Provide long-term funding for services and interventions so practitioners can provide longer, more consistent support and build effective relationships with children, young people and families.
- Prioritise preventative support and early intervention and lower thresholds to ensure fewer children, young people, parents and carers reach crisis point.
- Support staff wellbeing to prevent burnt out and compassion fatigue, and ensure the retainment and recruitment of Barnardo’s staff, so services can be effectively delivered.
- Invest in mental health support by directing resources into preventative services and increase the availability and reach of mental health support in schools.
- Address poverty and the rising costs of living by tackling structural inequalities and providing working families with financial support.
- Expand the provision of supported accommodation to support children and young people with additional needs, care leavers, and those at risk of homelessness.
- Increase the availability and accessibility of activities to provide children and young people with more opportunities to spend time outdoors, socialise with peers and learn new skills.
- Invest in support for children with SEND to reduce waiting times for assessments and increase the provision of support available following a diagnosis.
- Prevent online harms by implementing greater regulation of the internet and protective measures to reduce the risk of children and young people being exploited or harmed online.
- Invest in preventative programmes to tackle violent and harmful behaviours, such as substance use and understanding anger programmes.
No crib for a bed: Bed poverty
Data collected from the July 2023 Practitioner Survey was used in a report looking at how the cost-of-living crisis is exacerbating child poverty across our services.
The report focuses on bed poverty and is being used to make calls to the UK Government to take action to address these issues.
Child Exploitation: A Hidden Crisis
Feedback from the January 2023 Practitioner Survey informed our report, Child Exploitation: A Hidden Crisis.
We are using this report to make recommendations on how children who have been, or are at risk of being, sexually abused and/or exploited, can be safeguarded and supported.
Cost-of-living crisis in Wales
Data collected from the January 2023 Practitioner Survey was used in a paper presented to decision makers in Wales.
The report showed the deepening impact of poverty and the cost-of-living crisis on children, young people and families in Wales.
Practitioner Survey reports
All of our previous results are available in the drop downs below. You can click on each report to read the full findings.
Or you can explore the survey data further through our interactive dashboard January 2024. You can filter the survey results by region/nation, or the type of service provided by practitioners.
2024
2023
2019
Focus group reports
This research report delves into the perspective of Barnardo's practitioners, offering an insight into the complex challenges they navigate in their day-to-day work supporting children, young people and families.
The report also makes a number of recommendations that we hope will be taken forward. It serves as a call to action, urging decision makers to address these deficiencies to help ensure a more resilient and supportive environment for children, young people and families in the future.