Shards of the old looking glass: restoring the significance of identity in promoting positive outcomes for looked-after children Isabella McMurray*, Helen Connolly † , Michael Preston-Shoot ‡ and Veronica Wigley § *Lecturer, Department of Psychology, † PhD Candidate, Department of Applied Social Studies, ‡ Dean, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, University of Bedfordshire, Luton, and § Independent Research Consultant, Sheffield, UK ABSTRACT There is a driving force within current UK child welfare policies which promotes a strengths led approach to both assessment and care planning for children in need. Social policy emphasizes the impor- tance of tangible outcomes such as education achievement, which have been enshrined in statute. However, other developmental out- comes, such as identity, are subordinated. Notwithstanding the rel- evance of these more concrete indicators, this paper suggests that this focus has left a gap at theoretical, strategic and operational levels relating to more psychosocial aspects of human growth and develop- ment, such as identity. This paper seeks to redress that gap by con- sidering identity as both a process and an outcome. Following a review of the literature on identity development, it presents an analy- sis of semi-structured interviews with 13 young people and their social workers. The findings show how young people’s identity is shaped by their relationships, can be a protective mechanism, and deferred or put on standby. In the concluding discussion the impli- cations for social work practice are highlighted. Correspondence: Isabella McMurray, Lecturer, Department of Psychology, University of Bedfordshire, Park Square, Luton LU1 3JU, UK E-mail: isabella.mcmurray@beds.ac.uk Keywords: assessment framework, children in need, identity, looked-after children, outcomes Accepted for publication: August 2010 INTRODUCTION Within the UK, one driving force in current child welfare policies has been to promote a strengths-led approach when assessing and intervening in the lives of children and their families. The framework of assessment was developed to assist social practitio- ners assess, plan and monitor children’s development to promote optimal outcomes into adulthood (Ward 1995; Department of Health 2000). Predicated upon a child-centred philosophy, the framework acknowl- edges the need to understand these developmental areas at the individual child’s stage of growth, in the context in which they grow up. These areas of devel- opment are not completely distinct. The interactive relationship between the child’s developmental needs, parenting capacity and familial and environ- mental factors provide pieces of a collage, each element offering an insight into the life of a young person. The literature has reported research on looked-after children’s educational outcomes (Jackson & Martin 1998; Harker et al. 2004; Berridge 2007), health outcomes (Howell 2001) and emotional well-being (Metzler et al. 2003; McAuley & Davis 2009). It has foregrounded the importance of family and social rela- tionships (Holland et al. 2005; Fernandez 2008a). However, issues relating to identity have received much less attention, with limited research detailing young people’s own sense of who they are (McLeod 2007) and how identity is presented in core assessments (Thomas & Holland 2009). This paper specifically aims to add to the literature, with a particularly empha- sis on documenting how ‘children in need’ view doi:10.1111/j.1365-2206.2010.00733.x 210 Child and Family Social Work 2011, 16, pp 210–218 © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd