Displaying 1 - 10 of 38
Objective
There are limited studies which investigate the perceived needs and wellbeing of parents caring for their children with disability from culturally and linguistically diverse communities. This qualitative study uniquely explored the experiences and cultural factors of Vietnamese parents caring for children with a disability in multicultural Australia.
Methods
The study recruited Vietnamese parents who were attending a culturally and linguistically oriented support group in Sydney. The Carers’ and Users’ Expectations of Services (Carer version) was used to examine the…
ABSTRACT
Therapeutic residential care (TRC) privileges healing from trauma for vulnerable children and young people. It presents an opportunity for staff to partner with families to overcome trauma-induced conflicts and separations and build positive, resilient relationships. Co-parenting of residents by staff and parents can become possible. Positive impacts of effective family partnering in residential care generally, and within TRC specifically, are affirmed by international evidence. Family partnering in TRC has not, however, been formally researched in Australia. This preliminary…
Abstract: International migration shapes parenting styles for migrant groups, but in Australia very little is known about the interplay between sub-Saharan African migrant parenting practices and beliefs concerning child protection expectations in the host society. This study explores how sub-Saharan African migrant parents and caregivers navigate parenting between the cultures that have shaped their lives and parenting expectations within the new environment. Data were gathered from focus group discussions and one-on-one interviews. Major themes to emerge from the…
Abstract
The Circle of Security-Parent DVD program (COS-P) is a widely used parenting intervention that is gaining popularity globally as it is currently being delivered across several continents. Despite the uptake of COS-P, there is limited research on its effectiveness for specific groups. Here we present a multi-site evaluation of a group delivery of the eight-week COS-P program to foster carers (n = 54) of 6-12 year-old children in an urban community as facilitated by community-based providers from a specialist child and youth mental health services (n = 2). Three measures, the Parent…
In this Submission to the Inquiry into Support for Children of Imprisoned Parents, Karleen Gribble, Adjunct Associate Professor in the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Western Sydney University, comments on "the situation of infants and young children whose mothers are incarcerated and the support or undermining of their health and wellbeing in the justice system." Gribble explores the effects of parental separation on infant mental health, among other topics. The submission concludes with recommendations for addressing the developmental and health needs of infants…
Abstract
Although there is a growing body of international work on barriers to engaging fathers in child and family services, there is limited research on factors that promote father engagement. In this article, we draw on case study data from the Australian Baby Makes 3 (BM3) programme to explore factors that promote father engagement in parenting support programmes. Our analysis shows single‐gender group work supported father engagement. BM3's father group work provided a safe space in the parenting support context where men could form intimate connections with other fathers and talk…
Abstract: In this article, Patricia O'Rourke describes the way in which she applies psychodrama in her therapeutic reunification work with parents and babies in the child protection system in Australia. The paper was developed from a keynote address delivered to the Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand Psychodrama Association (AANZPA) Conference in Brisbane in January 2019.
Abstract
Drawing on the findings of a Churchill Fellowship study tour, this article discusses the need to expand our understanding of family engagement and, in particular, to implement Family Inclusive practice in Australian child welfare, both to increase reunification and to improve outcomes for children who do not return home. I argue for this expansion through the integration of six key elements of Family Inclusive practice drawing on examples of practice and innovation from my study tour. This article commences with a discussion of the literature in support of family engagement and…
Abstract
Vulnerable families are subject to a myriad of State interventions. In this article, we analyse how interventions of the neo-liberal State may undermine, rather than activate, the caring capabilities of vulnerable families across the life course. We define ‘vulnerable families’ as financially disadvantaged families with complex and enduring needs. Drawing on examples from Australia, England and the USA, we consider how neo-liberal policy reforms may weaken the caring capabilities of these families. We focus our analysis on vulnerable families who have been subject to one of the…
Abstract
This paper reports a qualitative study of parents' experiences of participating in an Australian adapted trial of the Strengthening Families Program (SFP). The SFP is an internationally recognised family-based prevention intervention found to be effective in improving child mental health. The study explored parents' perceptions of how the Australian adapted program influenced parent, child and family functioning. A purposive sample of 15 parents who had taken part in the program in 2015 were interviewed, and thematic analysis was undertaken using a…