Clare Tilbury

Permanency Planning in Foster Care: A Research Review and Guidelines for Practitioners

Abstract Permanency planning is a systematic, goal-directed and timely approach to case planning for children subject to child protection intervention aimed at promoting stability and continuity. The present paper reviews research into the area of permanency planning within the foster care system, with the aim of promoting research-informed policy and practice. Research published in both journals and books between 1998 and 2005 was reviewed. Exceptions to this were previously published seminal articles and texts that are theoretically and empirically important. The results of the present review indicate that permanency planning is theoretically informed by attachment theory and understandings of child development and identity formation. Decision making should be individualised, timely and culturally appropriate. Children themselves, their parents and carers all need to be involved in planning. Practitioners must be prepared to undertake extensive observation and assessment to serve the best interests of children when making permanency decisions.

Measuring Client Satisfaction with Child Welfare Services

This article examines the role of client satisfaction indicators in child welfare agency performance measurement. It examines both research and performance measurement efforts to understand client perspectives on child protection and out-of-home care services. It highlights the value of obtaining data from clients about their experience of the service delivered by the agency and its impact on their lives. Conceptual, methodological and ethical issues in implementing routine, standardized data collection on client satisfaction are discussed. Measuring client satisfaction within a suite of performance indicators is an example of how practitioners and managers can use one of the tools of managerialism in the interests of clients and good practice.

Perspectives of Young People in Care About their School-to-Work Transition

Abstract Achieving in education and employment has long-term effects on quality of life. With below-average levels of educational attainment, many young people in care are ill-equipped for the transition from school to further education and work. This paper presents findings from a qualitative study that explored the school to work transition experiences of young people currently or previously in care, and their ideas about future employment. A range of personal and contextual factors that influence study and work goals were identified. Young people spoke about the importance of personal confidence and determination, supportive relationships, someone to believe in them and encourage them, opportunities to pursue their goals, avenues to gain information about how to get desired jobs, positive school experiences, and the need for stability in their lives. The study suggests widening the agenda for case planning, transition from care and after-care support, to include career planning and vocational assistance.

Children in out-of-home care in Australia: international comparisons

As governments increasingly search globally for strategies to improve child welfare outcomes, it is vital to consider how policies and programs developed in other countries are likely to suit local conditions. Routinely, collected child welfare administrative data can provide contextual information for cross-national comparisons. This article examines out-of-home care in Australia, compared to other developed countries, and explores possible explanations for differences in patterns and trends. In doing so it also examines the similarities and differences between NSW, Victoria and Queensland. It is argued that a sound understanding of how out-of-home care is used, the profile of children in care and the influence of data can assist policy makers to match proposed solutions to clearly understood current problems. The imperative is to plan and implement policies and programs that locate out-of-home care within a range of child welfare services that meet the diverse needs of children and families within local contexts.

Child protection workers' perspectives on the school to work transition for young people in care

Abstract Young people in the care of the state are reported as having generally poor education and employment outcomes due to such factors as high rates of school exclusions and non-attendance, frequent placement moves with consequent school disruptions, deprived precare backgrounds, lack of coordination between education and child protection personnel, lack of attention to educational needs by professionals, and low expectations held by carers and caseworkers. The present article examines child protection worker perspectives on young peoples transition from school to work. Caseworkers believe that, for young people in care, factors such as unstable placements, psychological and behavioural problems, inadequate vocational options, poor caseworker knowledge of available training and education, and negative perceptions of young people in care may impede them from making a successful transition from school. Research suggests that child protection caseworkers need to integrate education and work with leaving care planning, given it is vital to the future wellbeing of young people in care.

Child protection services in Queensland post-Forde Inquiry

There have been major developments in child protection services in Queensland since the 1999 Inquiry into Abuse of Children in Queensland Institutions (the ‘Forde Inquiry’). This article discusses the nature of the changes that have occurred against the backdrop of a major debate in contemporary child protection research and practice – balancing forensic/legalistic and family support approaches to protecting children. Based upon an analysis of departmental annual reports, budget documents, policy statements and child protection administrative data, the article examines developments in policy directions, service provision, client trends and performance during the period. It shows that significant investment has increased the quantity of services available, but policy and program developments are yet to show an impact upon service quality and outcome indicators for children and families.

The Role of Carers and Caseworkers in the School-to-work Transition of Young People in Care

Abstract How young people in State care decide upon future careers, and the support offered for this process by carers and child protection caseworkers, has received little research attention. This qualitative study sought the views of young people in care, foster and kinship carers, and child protection caseworkers about career development for in-care youth. We found young people were thinking about career options but encountered a safety driven, acute casework approach, which sidelined education and work planning. Career development was not viewed as a caseworker responsibility, and, by default, was primarily developed by carers. The study highlights the need for a greater focus on the transition to adulthood and the inclusion of career development in policy and practice development.

Educational status of children and young people in care

This paper reports on research investigating the educational status and needs of school-aged children in foster care placements. Using clinical data mining, data were collected about school experiences, attendance, educational achievements and needs, health needs and supports provided. The study found children faced enormous barriers to satisfactory participation and attainment at school. Improving educational outcomes depends upon successful linkages between the child protection, education and health care systems.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle is about self determination

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle has been the policy guiding the placement of indigenous children in most Australian child protection jurisdictions for around fifteen years. The Principle requires the involvement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community representatives in decision making concerning indigenous children, and ensuring that alternative care placements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander careproviders. Most Jurisdictions still have a significant number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children placed with non-indigenous careproviders, and community based Aboriginal and Islander child care agencies continue to express dissatisfaction about the nature and level of consultation which occurs when welfare departments are taking action to protect indigenous children. This paper, which was presented at the IFCO conference in Melbourne in July 1999, examines why there has been such limited improvement in Child Placement Principle outcomes. Work undertaken in Queensland to address the over representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in the child protection system will be outlined from both a departmental and community perspective. The paper argues that if strategies for addressing these issues are not located within a framework of self determination for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, then they will not work.

The experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander carers in the child protection system

Much child welfare research does not differentiate between the needs of Indigenous and non-Indigenous clients and/or does not specifically address issues concerning Indigenous children, families and communities. As such, evidence is not informed by Indigenous perspectives and knowledge. The research reported upon in this paper was conducted jointly by a university-based researcher and Indigenous child protection agencies. It explored the support needs of Indigenous carers in the context of the increasingly detailed regulatory framework for out-of-home care. It suggests there should be more investment in ongoing support for carers and more personal contact between the statutory department and the carer/s after the placement is made. This would fulfill many purposes: support for carers with attendant benefits such as satisfaction and retention; better meeting the needs of the child; and the regulatory function of ongoing monitoring of placement quality for accountability purposes.