Report
What contributes to placement moves in out-of-home care?
Publisher
Evidence-based practice
Foster care
Caregivers
Child welfare
Out-of-home care
Kinship care
Residential care
Australia
Resources
Attachment | Size |
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What contributes to placement moves in out-of-home care? | 1.76 MB |
Description
Children without a safe and stable home environment require alternative living arrangements and can be placed in out-of-home care (OOHC). The stability of their placement has a significant impact on the child's wellbeing and outcomes. One measure of stability is the number of placements a child has while in OOHC. Understanding what a placement move is and why it happens can help to inform work with children, carers, families of origin and communities.
This paper presents local and international evidence from a scoping review on the factors that influence placement moves for children in OOHC. The paper aims to support practitioners in making evidence-informed placement decisions when working with children and carers in OOHC.
Key messages:
- This review found that a number of factors are likely to increase the risk of a placement move and reduce the duration of first placement.
- The review also found that placement in kinship care reduces the risk of a placement move and increases placement stability, especially for older children.
- The quality of 'parental care' provided by carers also affects placement stability.
- Evidence is mixed on the impact of placement with siblings on placement stability.
- There is a significant gap in Australian evidence on risk and protective factors for placement moves for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, who are over-represented in OOHC.
- Placement stability may be improved by selecting and preparing carers and having regard to the risks of a placement move, particularly in relation to externalising behaviour and those of an older age entering care.
Publication Details
ISBN:
978-1-76016-236-8
Copyright:
Commonwealth of Australia 2021
License type:
CC BY
Access Rights Type:
open
Series:
CFCA Paper 61
Post date:
26 Aug 2021