Abstract
AbstractThis article explores children and young people's experiences of a sibling camp based in the United Kingdom. Sibling camps are an intervention based on children's activity holidays that aim to promote meaningful contact for siblings separated in public care. This study adopted a qualitative approach using semi‐structured interviews with 11 children and young people; this included one sibling group of three and four sibling groups of two. The children's ages ranged from 8 to 17 years old, and they had all attended at least one camp with their sibling. Findings highlighted how the children valued the extended time they could spend with their siblings at camp, and how they felt this enabled them to better understand their siblings and improve their relationships. Findings also showed how the children developed close supportive relationships with the staff at the camps, who ensured they were cared for, and they also supported them with managing their relationships, which some participants acknowledged at times could be challenging. The participants also valued spending time with other sibling groups who also experienced separation. The study found camps provided a space for these children to maintain links with their siblings and to strengthen their sibling bonds.
Highlights
In the United Kingdom (UK), the placement of sibling groups in public care remains a critical practice concern
This paper explores children and young people's perceptions of a sibling camp, which is an intervention that aims to support separated siblings to maintain and build their relationships
The main areas we covered were the camp experience, we focused on participants experiences and perceptions of the sibling relationships and contact, including discussions about the frequency and quality of their contact before the camp, while at camp and after camp
Summary
In the United Kingdom (UK), the placement of sibling groups in public care remains a critical practice concern. Most children and young people entering care in the United Kingdom have at least one sibling (Jones & Henderson, 2017). There are occasions where siblings need to be placed apart in order to ensure safety or that individual needs are met. It seems in the U.K. context that separation has become common and arguably a routine practice. This is highlighted in recent U.K. research that found seven out of 10 sibling groups in care live apart (Jones & Henderson, 2017)
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