Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-p9bg8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-24T01:47:29.642Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Children Australia–A 40 Year Retrospective of Australian Out-of-Home Care: Reflections of the Past and Future Directions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 October 2015

Dave Vicary*
Affiliation:
Curtin University of Technology, School of Psychology and Speech Pathology, Perth, Western Australia Children's Protection Society, Melbourne, Victoria
*
address for correspondence: Dr Dave Vicary, Children's Protection Society. E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

For 40 years, Children Australia (and previous incarnations) has provided an enormously valuable space for research, practice and policy to delineate challenges, successes and innovation on issues pertaining to the wellbeing and welfare of children and their families. Articles published in the Journal during this period have been incredibly influential and have added to our collective knowledge of children, young people and their families. Nowhere has this been more evident than the area of out-of-home care (OOHC). This paper will explore and reflect on some of the issues that have been articulated in papers published in the journal over the last 40 years – with a specific focus on Australian Kinship, Foster, Residential and Therapeutic Residential Care. Past issues that are still presenting current challenges will be described and opportunities for change and future improvement identified.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ah Kee, M., & Tilbury, C. (1999). The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle is about self-determination. Children Australia, 24 (3), 48.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ainsworth, F. (2001). After ideology - the effectiveness of residential programs for “at risk” adolescents. Children Australia, 26 (2), 1118.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ainsworth, F. (2007). Residential Care programs for children and young people: What we need and what we don't need, Children Australia, 32 (1), 3236.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ainsworth, F., & Hansen, P. (1986). Incorporating natural family members into residential programmes for children and youth. Children Australia, 11 (1), 1214.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ainsworth, F., & Hansen, P. (2014). Family foster care - can it survive the evidence. Children Australia, 39 (2), 8792.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Alexandris, M.M., Hammond, S.W., & McKay, M. (2013). Children's emotional and behavioural problems and carer-child relationships in permanent care. Children Australia, 38 (1), 2227.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bamblett, M., Long, M., Frederico, M., & Salamone, C. (2014). Building an Aboriginal cultural model of therapeutic residential care: The experience of the Victorian Aboriginal f agency. Children Australia, 39 (4), 206211.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bath, H. (2008). Residential care in Australia - Part 2. A review of recent literature and emerging themes to inform services development. Children Australia, 33 (2), 1836.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Blackstock, C. (2009). After the apology - why are so many first nations’ children still in foster care. Children Australia, 34 (1), 2229.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brown, C. (1976). Defining the residential task. Children Australia, 1 (4), 3234.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bruce, R., & Mendes, P. (2008). Young people, prostitution and state out of home care - the views of a group of child welfare professionals in Victoria. Children Australia, 33 (4), 3137.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Butcher, A. (2005). Upping the ante! The training and status of foster carers in Queensland. Children Australia, 30 (3), 2530.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Campbell, L. (2007). Change and continuities in foster care in Victoria - prospects and tasks in foster care revisited. Children Australia, 32 (1), 715.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cashmore, J. (2000). What research tells us - Permanency planning, adoption and foster care. Children Australia, 25 (4), 1722.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cashmore, J., & Ainsworth, F. (2003). Out-of-Home care - building a national research agenda. Children Australia, 28 (2), 511.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cashmore, J., Higgins, D.J., Bromfield, L.M., & Scott, D.A. (2006). Recent Australian child protection and out-of-home care research - What's been done - and what needs to be done? Children Australia, 31 (2), 411.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Child protection Australia (2012–13). Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2014). Child Welfare series no. 58. Cat. No. CWS 49. Canberra: AIHW.Google Scholar
Cheers, D., Kufeldt, K., Klien, R., & Rideout, S. (2007). Comparing caring - The looking after children system in Canada and Australia. Children Australia, 32 (2), 2128.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Children, Youth and Families Act. (2005). Section 18, Victorian State Government.Google Scholar
DeGregorio, L.J., & McLean, S. (2013). The cognitive profiles of maltreated children in care and their educational needs: Supporting good outcomes. Children Australia, 38 (1), 2835.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Delfabbro, P.H., & Barber, J.G. (2002). The micro-economics of foster care in South Australia. Children Australia, 27 (2), 2934.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Delfabbro, P., Borgas, M., Vast, R., & Osborn, A. (2008). The effectiveness of public foster care recruitment campaigns - the south Australian experience. Children Australia, 33 (3), 2936.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dunne, E.G., & Kettler, L.J. (2006). Social and emotional issues of children in kinship foster care and stressors on kinship carers - a review of the Australian and international literature. Children Australia, 31 (2), 2229.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Elarde, P., & Tilbury, C. (2007). The experience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander carers in the child protection system. Children Australia, 32 (2), 814.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Frederick, J., & Goddard, C. (2006). Pathways to and from state care - the experience of eight young people. Children Australia, 31 (3), 3441.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Frederico, M., Long, M., McNamara, P., & McPherson, L. (2014). The way all foster care should be: The experience of therapeutic foster carers in the Victorian circle program. Children Australia, 39 (4), 211215.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gaffney, K. (2008). Hiding behind the past - understanding historical abuse in Out of Home Care. Children Australia, 33 (4), 3843.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gibbons, L., & Mason, J. (2003). Challenges posed by kinship care - a study focussing on New South Wales. Children Australia, 28 (4), 1218.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goddard, C. (1998). Not the last word: Point and counterpoint - nearly the end of the beginning of a never-ending story. Children Australia, 23 (1), 4144.Google Scholar
Hansen, P., & Ainsworth, F. (2008). Children in out-of-home care - what drives the increase in admissions and how to make a change. Children Australia, 33 (4), 1320.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hansen, P., & Ainsworth, F. (2009). Report on the special commission of the inquiry into child protection services in NSW (Wood Report) - a review and commentary. Children Australia, 32 (2), 170–23.Google Scholar
Hansen, P., & Ainsworth, F. (2011). In the best interests of the child - critical reflections on an overused construct. Children Australia, 36 (1), 1217.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hil, R., Penglase, J., & Smith, G. (2008). Reflections on institutional care and child slavery in Australia. Children Australia, 33 (1), 1317.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hodgkins, K.A., Crawford, F.R., & Budiselik, W.R. (2013). The halls creek way of residential care: Protecting children is everyone's business. Children Australia, 38 (2), 6169.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hussen, T., & Cameron, C. (2014). Lighthouse foundation therapeutic family model of care: Stages of recovery and their application to young people in Out of Home-Care. Children Australia, 39 (4), 237242.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hutt, S., & Clarke, A. (2012). Improving Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander cultural support in Out of Home Care. Children Australia, 37 (2), 7679.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Keogh, L., & Svenssen, U. (1999). Why don't they become foster carers - a study of people who enquire about foster care. Children Australia, 24 (2), 1319.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leigh-Smith, C., & Toth, K. (2014). The sanctuary model: Creating safety for an Out-of-Home Care community. Children Australia, 39 (4), 232236.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Manley, L., Barr, R., & McNamara, P. (2014). Strengthening trauma informed therapeutic practice approaches in Out of Home Care. Children Australia, 39 (4), 216–215.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Markiewicz, A. (1996). The child welfare system in Victoria: Changing context and perspectives 1945–1995. Children Australia, 21 (3), 3241.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McHugh, M. (2011). A review of foster career allowances: Responding to recommendation 16.9 of the special inquiry into child protection. Children Australia, 36 (1), 1825.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McPherson, L., & MacNamara, N. (2014). Therapeutic kinship care: A carer's perspective. Children Australia, 39 (4), 221225.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mendes, P. (2005). Remembering the “forgotten” Australian - the care leavers of Australia and the senate inquiry into institutional and Out-of-home Care. Children Australia, 30 (1), 410.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mendes, P., & Moslehuddin, B. (2004). Moving out from the state parental home: A comparison of leaving care policies in Victoria and New South Wales. Children Australia, 29 (2), 2029.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mendes, P., Michell, D., & Wilson, J.Z. (2014). Young people transitioning from Out-of-Home Care and access to higher education: A critical review of the literature. Children Australia, 39 (4), 243252.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mendis, K. (2013). Research for practice: Highlighting personal strengths of children in OOHC: Two case examples. Children Australia, 38 (1), 3639.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mertin, P., & Baxter, R.M. (1985/6). Towards a residential treatment programme for emotionally disturbed children. Children Australia, 10 (4), 1921.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Murphy, J. (1994). Not just a job: A study of the needs of residential child care workers in Melbourne, Australia. Children Australia, 19 (1), 2732.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Raymond, I., & Heseltine, K. (2009). The nature, role and qualities of the staff-client relationship as seen through the eyes of young men in residential care. Children Australia, 34 (2), 2432.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Smith, L.J., & McLean, S. (2013). Issues and challenges for services agencies in monitoring educational outcomes for children in OOHC. Children Australia, 38 (3), 100105.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Smyth, C., & McHugh, M. (2006). Exploring the dimensions of professionalising fostering - carers perceptions of their fostering role. Children Australia, 31 (1), 1220.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thoresen, S.H., & Liddiard, M. (2011). Failure of care in state care: In-care abuse and post-care homelessness. Children Australia, 36 (1), 411.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Turner, J. (1985). Children's rights. Children Australia, 10 (3), 1920.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wise, S. (2003). Using looking after children to create an Australian out-of-home care database. Children Australia, 28 (2), 3844.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Worrall, J. (2001). Kinship care of the abused child – the New Zealand experience. Child Welfare, 80 (5), 497511.Google ScholarPubMed