New research offers fresh insight into conduct difficulties in fostered children
Wednesday 15 April 2026
Five Rivers is pleased to share new research, part-funded through our social enterprise investment, that sheds important light on how children in foster care experience and express conduct difficulties. The study, published in the April 2026 edition of the Adoption and Fostering Journal, was carried out in partnership with the Anna Freud Centre and focuses on the emotional and relational experiences that sit beneath children’s outward behaviour.
As a social enterprise, Five Rivers reinvests more than half of our annual surplus into research, development and innovation that supports better outcomes for children. This study forms part of that commitment and helps deepen our understanding of the children we care for.
What the research explored
The study, Exploring conduct difficulties amongst middle-aged children living in care, looked at the experiences of children aged four to eleven living with Five Rivers foster carers. It combined quantitative assessments from 82 children with a qualitative exploration of how children respond to narrative story stems, a widely used method for understanding a child’s internal world.
Although the initial quantitative findings did not show a direct link between conduct difficulties and attachment styles, the story-based analysis revealed something much more important. It showed that many children hold complex internal representations of themselves and others, particularly when emotional arousal or conflict is present. Even children who did not show obvious emotional symptoms externally expressed negative expectations of caregiving figures in their stories when fear or distress appeared.
Why this matters
These insights help reinforce that conduct difficulties are rarely just behavioural issues. They often reflect deeper emotional strain, disrupted early attachments and past trauma. When children have experienced inconsistent care, separation or adversity, their internal beliefs about safety and relationships can shape how they respond under stress. Understanding these patterns is vital for preventing placement instability, which is one of the most significant risks for children who present with elevated conduct difficulties.
The study also shows how easily traditional screening tools can miss the emotional experiences sitting beneath outward behaviour. By using narrative based assessments, professionals can gain a much clearer sense of the anxieties, coping strategies and unseen emotions influencing a child’s actions. In turn, this knowledge can strengthen the support we offer to foster carers, enhance therapeutic responses and contribute to more stable, compassionate care environments.
Our role as a social enterprise
Five Rivers Child Care funded this research through our social enterprise model. By reinvesting our surplus into evidence informed practice, we ensure that our approach to care continues to evolve and improve. Richard Cross, Director of Clinical Services at Five Rivers and co-author of the study, said that “investing in high-quality research is essential for shaping better support”. He noted that “children often communicate distress through behaviour, and that understanding what drives these responses helps professionals respond therapeutically rather than punitively”.
What happens next
The findings are already shaping our internal practice. They will be used to inform our carer training, therapeutic support and early identification processes, helping ensure children receive the right interventions at the right time. The research also provides valuable insight for the wider social care sector, where a deeper understanding of children’s emotional needs is increasingly important.
The full academic paper is available in the April 2026 issue of the Adoption and Fostering Journal. Exploring conduct difficulties amongst middle-aged children living in care – Katharine Anderson, Saul Hillman, Theodora Manolopoulou, Richard Cross, 2026