From journal articles to Quick Guides and webinars, you will find tools and information to support.
This Australian study interviewed individuals with lived experience of out-of-home care to understand their transition to independent living, focusing on stable housing. It highlights the reliance on specialist housing services and recommends extending care support to age 25 and improving transition planning. The findings are relevant to practitioners, informing their work with young people in out-of-home care and guiding efforts to address housing and support needs during the transition to independent living.
The study in Child and Family Social Work examines Australian parents' experiences with child protection during pregnancy and post-birth. It reveals the trauma of baby removal and suggests improvements such as increased support, better communication, and consideration of changing circumstances by child protective services.
The Australian Journal of Social Issues published a paper on the impacts of COVID-19 on children in out-of-home care and their carers. Findings show negative effects on education, social life, and physical activity for children, but improved relationships within living arrangements. Carers reported challenges in maintaining relationships with birth families and accessing support networks.
The Medical Journal of Australia published the Australian Child Maltreatment Study, surveying over 8,500 Australians aged 16-65. It highlights widespread child maltreatment in Australia and its links to mental disorders, health risk behaviours, and conditions. This study is relevant for practitioners, offering insights into prevalence and impact while emphasising the importance of primary prevention and urgent action.
This article in Adoption and Fostering, valuable for practitioners, examines the dual roles of foster parents as parents and professionals. It provides insights into the challenges and evolution of their self-perception, highlighting the importance of understanding and supporting the complex dynamics within foster care.
This study in Child and Family Social Work examines barriers to meaningful contact between children and birth parents, as identified by legal and social work practitioners in Queensland. The study reveals four key themes: system-driven responses, poor relationships and mistrust, lack of culturally responsive practice, and exclusion of parents from the consultation process. The findings provide valuable insights for practitioners working to improve contact arrangements for children and their birth parents.
This article in Social Work Education highlights the importance of Indigenous-led out-of-home care services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families. Based on qualitative research, it provides ten directives to non-Indigenous stakeholders, offering guidance on managing mistrust, combating racism, and empowering Indigenous voices. This valuable resource informs practitioners about the need for culturally sensitive and inclusive approaches in supporting Indigenous communities within the child protection system.
This Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health study provides valuable insights for practitioners in child and family services. It examines child protection contact among culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) children in South Australia and reveals a higher likelihood compared to non-CALD children. Practitioners can benefit from this research as it emphasises the importance of targeting support within the child protection system to address the specific challenges that CALD children and their families face.
This Australian Education Reseacher study details patterns in male and female achievement on the NAPLAN reading and numeracy test across school years. The study highlights gender discrepancies and potential causes.
