Despite huge investment over the past 10 years, improving outcomes for looked-after children remains elusive. A challenge for practitioners, researchers and policy-makers alike has been the absence of a shared conceptual framework for considering and responding to the needs of looked-after children. A second challenge relates to the measurement of outcomes. In this article the authors reflect on the multiple factors that contribute to outcomes for looked-after children and, drawing upon the work of Cronen and Pearce, propose an organising framework. In as much as it facilitates reflection on the complex interplay between looked-after children and their environments, the ecological perspective outlined in this article holds some promise as an aid to targeting interventions more effectively and efficiently. (Contains 2 figures and 1 note.)