The Family Routes study is a major longitudinal project funded by the Department for Education, designed to build a clearer picture of the needs, experiences and outcomes of children who leave care on an adoption order (AO) or special guardianship order (SGO) in England.

The most recent report in the Family Routes series, Children Who Returned to Care After Leaving for Adoption or to Live with a Special Guardian, examines the stability of permanence arrangements. It explores the factors that can predict disruption, and what happened to children once they re-entered care.

Drawing on Department for Education data from 2002 to 2023, this report provides important insights into permanence outcomes and forms part of the wider Family Routes: Growing up in Adoptive and Special Guardianship Families research, which aims to improve understanding of children’s experiences and highlight what support is needed to help families thrive.