Young people’s experiences of family life with a relative special guardian: Making sense of complex relationships and life stories

Young, Julie (2026) Young people’s experiences of family life with a relative special guardian: Making sense of complex relationships and life stories. Doctoral thesis, University of East Anglia.

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Abstract

Special Guardianship Orders (SGOs) have become a rapidly growing route to permanent placement for children in England and Wales removed from parental care following child protection intervention. While children under SGOs typically share histories of adversity and trauma like those adopted or in foster care, relative special guardian (SG) families receive significantly less statutory preparation, training, and support. SGs often face severe financial hardship and must navigate complex family dynamics.

Existing research has focused on placement stability and carers’ experiences, conspicuously omitting the voices of children and young people themselves. This study addresses this gap by exploring how young people experience and make sense of family life with SGs. Utilising an Interpretative Phenomenological Approach (IPA) co-designed with young people with lived experience, the research draws on in-depth interviews with 22 participants aged 14–19 living with relative SGs.

The findings reveal the young people’s strength and capacity for self-determination as active agents constructing coherent life stories, critically interpreting conflicting family information, and managing painful contradictions and gaps in their personal histories. They strongly valued their SGs as their primary parent while affirming that positive connections with birth parents could be enriching if their own emotional needs were prioritised and signs of care recognised. Crucially, the study demonstrates that adult support in promoting reflective, honest, and detailed understanding of young people's life stories supports positive meaning-making from challenging circumstances, fostering empowerment and resilience.

With local authorities now required to publish a 'kinship local offer', these findings are timely for shaping support services. Placing children within family settings does not automatically meet all developmental needs; greater focus is required on identity needs and relationship continuity. This study offers an evidence-based roadmap for refining services that genuinely meet the unique needs of this growing but historically unheard population.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Social Work
Depositing User:	Chris White
Date Deposited:	17 Jun 2026 13:08
Last Modified:	17 Jun 2026 13:08
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/103417
DOI:

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