Search

Abstract Despite the increasing use of adoption to provide permanence for children living in out-of-home care, relatively little is known about the children involved. This paper presents findings on the previous life experiences of an entire cohort of 'difficult to place' adoptees who were placed in Australia over 26 years. Understanding the vulnerability of these children is important for practitioners supporting adoptive families, as well as policy-makers and researchers who are assessing the outcomes of adoption from care. The study describes a group of children who have experiences which may make them vulnerable to poor adult outcomes. The severity of their pre-care experiences is high, with implications for health and wellbeing difficulties in adulthood. Child welfare interventions after entry to out-of-home care are also associated with poor outcomes. Furthermore, a high number of adoptees presented with behavioural difficulties which further compromised their welfare. The study demonstrates that, while adoptive families can be successfully recruited for highly vulnerable children, there are important issues for timing of decision-making about permanency and for recruitment, training and support of adoptive families. Furthermore, policy makers and practitioners need to consider these vulnerabilities when comparing adoption with other forms of out-of-home care and assessing outcomes of adoption compared to the general community or fostered children. Highlights • A full cohort study of 'hard to place' adoptees from care over 26 years. • Adoptees are shown to have higher rates of 'significant' ACEs than the general population. • This vulnerability has been increased following child welfare interventions. • Significant implications for practice and assessing outcomes of adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract There is now considerable evidence to suggest that children placed in foster care experience greater levels of adversity compared to those in the general population. Early adversity has been shown to continue across the lifespan: those who have experienced the sustained trauma of threat or deprivation have a range of poor life outcomes including homelessness, poor mental health, and over-representation in the criminal justice system and low educational attainment. This paper reports on a study of a program response to children who have experienced trauma and are placed in out-of-home care. The program model, known as Treatment and Care for Kids (TrACK), introduced a paradigm shift in the treatment and care of children in Australia, in that it was designed to provide intensive, home-based therapeutic intervention for children presenting with complex trauma and challenging behaviours. This program sought to integrate knowledge about the neurobiology of trauma with therapeutic practice and care, reflecting growing recognition that 'care is not enough' to achieve holistic and effective healing for children who have experienced severe trauma. As such, the relationship that encircles the child was seen as the vehicle for recovery. The study examined client files and interviewed carers, key professionals and young people who had experienced the therapeutic care program since its inception 18 years ago. Data, informed by narrative inquiry methodology, were analysed. Key findings highlight the significance of relational practice to interrupt the projected trauma trajectory and for young people to stabilise and self-regulate. Highlights • Children had experienced a high level of adversity prior to entry into this home-based therapeutic program. • Seven of the 48 children had experienced more than 10 placements, with one child having experienced 30 placements. • The program was overwhelmingly successful in stabilising children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Foster parents are often subjected to trauma-related behaviours that may impact upon their own wellbeing. • Foster parents perceive trauma-related behaviours as unpredictable and omnipresent. • Foster parents living with the trauma of a foster child can feel socially isolated. • Specific training and support opportunities are necessary to support foster parents so as to address or prevent vicarious trauma. In Australia, significant numbers of children in out-of-home care live in foster care placements, with many such placements being long-term. Despite the potential healing that may occur in the context of foster care, many foster children experience high levels of poor mental health, and may enact trauma-related behaviours that can significantly impact upon the foster placement. Yet to date, the topic of foster parents witnessing and living with the trauma experienced by their foster children has received relatively little empirical attention. This paper reports on a thematic analysis of interviews conducted with 85 Australian foster parents providing long-term care to non-indigenous children, focusing specifically on accounts of vicarious trauma. Four themes were developed: (1) Trauma-related behaviours are unpredictable and require constant attention, (2) Trauma histories are always present and make it hard to connect, (3) Caring for children with a trauma history can be socially isolating, and (4) Lack of agency support to understand child's trauma. The paper concludes by exploring implications of the findings for the support, training, and care of foster parents so as to ensure that the potential for vicarious trauma is recognized and addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Whilst child protection systems are concerned with removal of children from their families in the interests of safety, the capacity of child welfare systems to return children safely to their families of origin is of central importance. The multidimensional standardised assessment tool, the North Carolina Family Assessment Scale—Reunification (NCFAS-R) was used by practitioners to assess family strengths and needs in case planning and reunification decision making. The current paper examined (1) whether NCFAS-R domain ratings at intake and closure differ by characteristics of parents and children; and (2) whether reunification is predicted by NCFAS-R score at closure. The study sample consists of 145 children aged 0–12years from 84 families, who presented at Barnardos temporary care services in two metropolitan areas in Australia. This excludes children who had missing values on NCFAS-R or reunification outcome. Participants continuously entered the study over the four year study period, the study window being 18months since intake. Ordinary least squared (OLS) regression was used to examine whether NCFAS-R scores at intake and closure were predicted by demographic variables, primary reason in care, and placement circumstance. To examine the relationship between NCFAS-R scores at closure and reunification outcome, a logistic regression model was used. At intake, the average score was highest for the Child Well-Being domain and lowest for the Parental Capabilities domain. NCFAS-R scores were increased at closure on all domains, with the biggest improvement on the domains of Family Safety and Child Well-Being. At intake, NCFAS-R scores did not differ significantly by independent variables examined except for the Child Well-Being domain. Children who were placed with their siblings displayed 0.45 points higher scores on the Child Well-Being domain. At closure, NCFAS-R scores differed significantly by some family variables and a placement variable. In general, mothers being 25years or younger, mothers having Year 11 or a higher level of education, or children being placed with their siblings were significantly associated with higher scores on various NCFAS-R domains at closure. Overall NCFAS-R scores at closure significantly predicted reunification with parents or kin. One unit increase in overall NCFAS-R score at closure increased the odds of reunification by a factor of 8.39. Findings contribute to an evolving evidence base on decision making and facilitating reunification outcomes for children and families. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper profiles the family and social background, and psychosocial wellbeing of 364 children (Mean age=12.9 years) with a high level of placement instability in Australian out-of-home care. Children were selected based on reliable predictors of instability and detailed interviews were conducted with case-workers, along with extensive case-file readings. The children in this population were found to originate from families that share many risk factors. In most cases, a family history of domestic violence, physical abuse, and parental substance abuse dominated over a history of sexual abuse and neglect. Based on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), over 75% of children were found to have clinical level conduct disorder, two-thirds have peer problems, and around a half are clinically anxious or depressed. The results provided some evidence that children with the poorest overall psychosocial adjustment were most prone to placement breakdowns, but there was no clear relationship between the overall number of family background problems and the level of placement instability. However, individual risk factors, including a history of family violence and abuse were related to more disrupted placement histories for children in care. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Home-based carers face numerous barriers to facilitating healthy lifestyle behaviours. • Upskilling carers is crucial to improving long-term health outcomes for the child/ren in their care. • Training must be accessible, practical, and unique to both foster and kinship carers. Foster and kinship carers face unique and complex challenges in caring for Australia's most vulnerable children. It is therefore necessary to ensure that home-based carers are adequately upskilled and supported to promote the health of children in their care. The aim of this paper was to better understand the barriers to developing healthy lifestyle behaviours (relevant to nutrition and physical activity) among children in home-based care, from the perspective of foster and kinship carers. Focus group sessions were conducted with 21 carers: eight foster carers and 13 kinship carers. Four key themes were identified: (1) Childhood experience and children's healthy lifestyle behaviours; (2) There are personal costs of being a carer; (3) Carers require support to develop healthy lifestyle behaviours in children; and (4) Broader systemic factors impact healthy lifestyle development. Carers in the current study described their experience of key emotional, financial, and systemic barriers to facilitating healthy lifestyle behaviours among the children in their care. To address such challenges, carers recommended the development of trauma-informed support, education, and resources to prioritise and facilitate healthy lifestyle development among children in home-based care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]