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The Changing Face of Out-of-home Care in Australia – Developing Policy and Practice for the 21st Century

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 November 2017

Meredith Kiraly  and
Cathy Humphreys
Meredith Kiraly*
Affiliation:
Department of Social Work, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
Cathy Humphreys
Affiliation:
Department of Social Work, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
*
address for correspondence: Dr Meredith Kiraly, Department of Social Work, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia. E-mail: mkiraly@unimelb.edu.au.
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Abstract

This Opinion Piece traces the rise of statutory kinship care in Australia from the progressive reduction of residential care and the struggle to recruit sufficient foster carers to meet demand for protective care. It outlines identified benefits of kinship care for children and flags concern about the early stage of development of kinship care policy, programs and data systems. It is argued that there are significant risks for children's safety and well-being in failing to assess carers thoroughly and to provide equitable case management and support (both financial and non-financial) to children in kinship care as in foster care.

Keywords

Kinship careout of home carechild protectionchild welfare
Type
Opinions
Information
Children Australia , Volume 42 , Issue 4 , December 2017 , pp. 230 - 232
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2017 

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