Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-mp689 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-25T01:26:32.670Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Children in out-of-home care: What drives the increase in admissions and how to make a change

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 February 2016

Patricia Hansen  and
Frank Ainsworth
Patricia Hansen
Affiliation:
Head of School, School of Social Work, Australian Catholic University, Strathfield Campus, Sydney NSW 2135, Email: patricia.hansen@acu.edu.au
Frank Ainsworth
Affiliation:
Senior Principal Research Fellow (Adjunct), School of Social Work and Community Welfare, James Cook University, Townsville Campus, Qld 4811, Email: frankainsworth@hotmail.com
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

In Australia the number of children removed from birth parents and admitted to State care, i.e. foster care, kinship care, other home-based care, group homes or residential care, continues to rise. Because the number of foster carers (the preferred care option after kinship care) has fallen and the recruitment of new carers has become more difficult, this rise in admissions to care is a critical issue. This paper explores those factors that drive the increase in the number of children that are taken into State care and makes suggestions about how this trend might be reversed. New South Wales is used as the example for this purpose although the points made are applicable in other States and Territories.

Type
Research Article
Information
Children Australia , Volume 33 , Issue 4 , 2008 , pp. 13 - 20
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2008

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

REFERENCES

Ainsworth, F. (2002) ‘Mandatory reporting of child abuse and neglect: Does it really make a difference?’, Child and Family Social Work, 7(1), 57–63.Google Scholar
Ainsworth, F. (2004) ‘Drug use by parents: The challenge for child protection and drug and alcohol services’, Children Australia, 29(3), 4–10.Google Scholar
Ainsworth, F. (2005) Challenging Australian practice - contemporary issues, paper presented at the Centre for Research on Community and Children's Services, Challenging practice conference, August, Mackay, Qld.Google Scholar
Ainsworth, F. & Hansen, P. (2006) ‘Five tumultuous years in Australian child protection: Little progress’, Child and Family Social Work, 11(1), 33–41.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Allen Consulting Group (2003) Protecting children: The child protection outcomes project. Final report for the Victorian Department of Human Services, September.Google Scholar
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2008) Child protection Australia 2006-07, Canberra, viewed 31 January 2008, <http://www.aihw.gov.au>..>Google Scholar
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2006) Children in out-of-home care Australia. Data collection standards, tables and counting rules, 2004-05, viewed 16 November 2007, <http://www.aihw.gov.au>..>Google Scholar
Barber, J. & Delfabbro, P. (2004) Children in foster care, London: Taylor and Francis.Google Scholar
Bayne, P. (2003) Uniform evidence law, Sydney: Federation Press.Google Scholar
Bullock, R., Courtney, M., Parker, R., Sinclair, I. & Thoburn, J. (2005) ‘Can the corporate State parent?’, Child and Youth Services Review, 28(11), 1344–1358.Google Scholar
Campbell, L. (2007) ‘Change and continuity in foster care in Victoria. Prospects and tasks in foster care revisited’, Children Australia, 32(1), 7–15.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Child Welfare League of America (2007) National data analysis system. Number of children in out-of-home care 2003-2004, viewed 26 November 2007, <http//:inda.cwla.org/data/access/predefined/Report.asp?PageMode=1?ReportID=3>..>Google Scholar
Dawe, S., Frye, S., Best, D., Lynch, M., Atkinson, J., Evans, C. & Harnett, P.H. (2006) Drug use in the family: Impacts and implications for children, Canberra: Australian National Council on Drugs.Google Scholar
Department of Community Services (2006) Statutory child protection in NSW. Issues and options for reform, NSW Department of Community Services, Sydney.Google Scholar
Department of Community Services (2007) Annual Report 2006-2007, NSW Department of Community Services, Sydney.Google Scholar
Department for Education and Skills (2007) Research and Statistics Gateway: Looked after children 2003-07, Table A2, viewed 22 November 2007, <http//:dfes.gov.uk/performancetables/>..>Google Scholar
Department for Education and Skills (2006) National statistics. First release. Children looked after in England (including adoptions and case leavers), 2005-06, viewed 29 February 2007, <http//www.dfes.gov.uk>..>Google Scholar
Department of Health (1998) Modernising social services, London: The Stationery Office.Google Scholar
Department of Health and Human Services. Administration for-Children and Families (2007a) Foster care FY 2000 – FY2005, Entries, exits and number of children in care on the last day of each Federal fiscal year, viewed 3 April 2007, <http//www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/stats-research/afcars/statirics/entryexits2005/htm>..>Google Scholar
Department of Health and Human Services. Administration for Children and Families (2007b) Child maltreatment 2005, viewed 5 April 2007, <http//www.acf.hhs.gov>..>Google Scholar
Dominelli, L., Strega, S., Callahan, M. & Rutman, D. (2005) ‘Endangered children: Experiencing and surviving the State as failed parent and grandparent’, British Journal of Social Work, 35(7), 1123–1144.Google Scholar
Doyle, J. J. Jnr (2007) Child protection and adult crime: Using investigator assignment to estimate the causal effects of foster care, working paper 13291, Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research, viewed 23 October 2007, <http//:www.nber.org/papers/w13291>.Google Scholar
Gleeson, M. (2000) The rule of law and the constitution, Sydney: ABC Books.Google Scholar
Goldstein, J., Freud, A. & Solnit, J. (1973) Beyond the best interests of the child. New York: Free Press.Google Scholar
Hannan, E. & Wallace, R. (2006) ‘Push for State-run homes for children’, The Australian, 6 October, pp. 1 and 6.Google Scholar
Hansen, P. & Ainsworth, F. (2006) ‘Adoption in Australia: Review and reflection’, Children Australia, 31(4), 22–28.Google Scholar
Horin, A. (2006) ‘More law than love’, Sydney Morning Herald, 13 November, p. 16.Google Scholar
Kennedy, R. & Richards, J. (2007) Integrating human sendees law and practice, Melbourne: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Libby, M.A., Orton, H.D., Barth, R.P. & Burns, B.J. (2007) ‘Alcohol, drug and mental health service need for caregivers and children involved in child welfare’, in Haskins, R., Wulczyn, F. & Webb, M.B. (eds), Child protection: Using research to improve policy and practice, Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press, pp. 107–119.Google Scholar
Liddell, M., Donegan, T., Goddard, C. & Tucci, J. (2006) The state of child protection: Australian child welfare and child protection developments 2005, National Research Centre for the Prevention of Child Abuse, Melbourne: Monash University.Google Scholar
Maluccio, A.N. & Ainsworth, F. (2006) ‘Family foster care: Development or decline’, Adoption and Fostering, 30(4), 20–25.Google Scholar
Maluccio, A.N., Canali, C. & Vecchiato, T. (2006) ‘Family foster care: Cross-national research perspectives’, Families in Society, 87(4), 491–495.Google Scholar
McConnell, D., Llewellyn, G. & Ferronato, L. (2002) Parents with a disability and the NSW Children's Court, Sydney, NSW: University of Sydney.Google Scholar
McHugh, M. (2004) Availability of foster carers, report for the NSW Department of Community Services, University of New South Wales, Social Policy Research Centre, Sydney.Google Scholar
Meagher, R. (2006) ‘Minister's foreword’, Statutory child protection in NSW: Issues and options for reform, Sydney: Department of Community Services.Google Scholar
Moggach, L. (2007) Forum letter, Children Australia, 32(1), 5.Google Scholar
Mortley, E. (1998) Good enough parenting, Social Work Monograph, Norwich: University of East Anglia.Google Scholar
New South Wales Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 No 157.Google Scholar
New South Wales Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Amendment (Parent Responsibility Contracts) Act 2006 No 67.Google Scholar
New South Wales, Legislative Assembly (2007) Hansard full day transcript, 23 October 2007, viewed 12 November 2007, <http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/hanstrans.nsf/V3ByKey/LA20071023>>Google Scholar
O'Neill, C. (2006) ‘Support in foster care … looking for best practice’, Children Australia, 31 (4), 4–11.Google Scholar
Overington, C. (2006), ‘Foster parents ‘deserve payment’, Sydney Morning Herald, 27 September, p. 3.Google Scholar
Pecora, P.J., Kessler, R.C., Downs, A.C., O'Brien, K., Williams, J., Hiripi, E. & Morello, S. (2003) Assessing the effects of foster care: Early results from the Casey National Alumni study, Seattle, WA, viewed 18 December 2006, <http://www.casey.org>.Google Scholar
Pecora, P.J., Kessler, R.C., O'Brien, K., White, C.R., Hiripi, E., Williams, J., English, D., White, J. & Herrick, A.H. (2006) ‘Educational and employment outcomes of adults formerly placed in foster care: Results from the Northwest foster care alumni study’, Children and Youth Services Review, 28(12), 1459–1481.Google Scholar
Peltola, C. & Testro, P. (2006) Towards a better future for children: Preventing child abuse and neglect, National Association for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, Brisbane.Google Scholar
Rubin, D.M., O'Reilly, A.L.R., Luan, X. & Localio, A.R. (2007) ‘The impact of placement stability on behavioural well-being for children in foster care’, Pediatrics, 119, 2, 336–344.Google Scholar
Schwartz, I.M. & Fishman, G. (1999) Kids raised by the government, Westport, CN: Praeger.Google Scholar
Schofield, G. & Beek, M. (2006) Attachment handbook for foster care and adoption, London: British Association for Adoption and Fostering.Google Scholar
Scott, D. (2006a) Sowing the seeds of innovation in child protection, 10th Australasian child abuse and neglect conference, Wellington, NZ, February.Google Scholar
Scott, D. (2006b) Family reunification from out-of-home care, summary of conference proceedings, Adelaide, 30 November.Google Scholar
Shlonsky, A. (2007) ‘Initial construction of an actuarial risk assessment measure using the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being’, in Haskins, R., Wulczyn, F. & Webb, M.B. (eds), Child protection: Using research to improve policy and practice, Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press, pp. 62–80.Google Scholar
Social Policy Research Centre (2006) Evaluation plan: Early intervention program, for the NSW Department of Community Services, SPRC report 13/60, Sydney.Google Scholar
Swain, P., Goodfellow, J., Lee, J., Cameron, N. & Bennett, W. (2002) Pride and prejudice: A snapshot of parents with disabilities experience of the child protection system in Victoria, Melbourne: Disability Discrimination Legal Services Inc. Google Scholar
van Tiggelen, J. (2006) ‘Dammed if they don't’, The Australian, Good Weekend, 9 December, pp. 45–52.Google Scholar
Watzlawick, P., Weakland, J. & Fisch, R. (1974) Change: Principles of problem formulation and problem resolution, New York: W.W. Norton and Company.Google Scholar
Webb, S. (2006) Social work in a risk society, London: Palgrave.Google Scholar
Winnicott, D. (1965) The maturational process and the facilitating environment, New York: International Universities Press.Google Scholar
Wulcyn, F., Hislop, K. & Chen, L. (2005) Adoption dynamics: An update on the impact of the Adoption and Safer Families Act, Chicago: University of Chicago, Chapin Hall Center for children, viewed 24 August 2006, <http//:www.chapinhall.org>.Google Scholar
Zinn, A., DeCoursey, J., George, R. & Courtney, M. (2006) A study of placement stability in Illinois, Chicago, IL: Chapin Hall.Google Scholar