Displaying 1 - 10 of 24
Summary
Each year, around 3% of all children aged 0–17 are assisted by Australia’s child protection systems. Some children are unable to live safely at home as they may be at risk of being abused or neglected, or their parents may be unable to provide adequate care. Children and their families may receive support services to keep children with their families, or be subject to investigations of reports of child abuse/neglect, protection orders, and/or placement in out-of-home care, such as with a relative or foster carer.
This report presents statistics on state and territory child…
Abstract
Young kinship carers tend to be overlooked in kinship care policy and practice. This Australian research project explored the prevalence of kinship care households in Australia, with a particular focus on households headed by young kinship carers. Census data were utilized to explore the number of kinship care households across the carer age spectrum and some of their characteristics, including households with Indigenous carers and carers with a culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) identity. Characteristics of households headed by carers aged 16–30 years were explored in…
Abstract: There are over 48,000 Australian children currently in out-of-home care (OOHC). Journalist Mykeala Campanini explores why a majority of these children are struggling to reach national literacy and numeracy benchmarks, which puts them at risk of becoming disengaged with schooling, resulting in lifelong disadvantage.
Abstract
Background
Maltreated children are at risk of poor educational outcomes, but also experience greater individual, family, and neighbourhood adversities that may obscure an understanding of relationships between child protection involvement and educational attainment.
Objective
To examine associations between child protection involvement and 3rd- and 5th-grade reading and numeracy attainment, while controlling multiple other adversities.
Participants and Setting
Participants were 56,860 Australian children and their parents from the New South Wales Child…
Abstract
Australian children growing up in out-of-home care (OHC) have learning outcomes well below their mainstream peers. This Chapter explores learning opportunities and challenges confronting primary school children in care. It presents a contemporary overview of policy, practice and research in this domain. The Chapter examines socio-emotional and cognitive difficulties these children often bring into OHC, especially those deriving from attachment disruption and trauma. It also considers systemic issues encountered within the care system, including placement changes and a lack of…
Abstract
Given the general lack of attention paid to the education of children in state care, and low expectations of them, it is widely accepted that we are unique, two former foster kids with the highest level of academic degrees, doctorates. In this chapter from the book Education in Out-of-Home Care we explore our journeys to and through university and doctoral studies, with attention to our similarities as outliers and differences across time. We…
Abstract
Postsecondary education outcomes of Australian care leavers are not systematically documented. Complexities of a federal system of government, and the early conclusion of corporate parenting responsibilities (usually when those in care reach 18 years of age) have restricted the ability to track educational progress. Historically, a lack of national data on care leavers in higher education has contributed to policy inertia and a culture of low educational expectations and outcomes. Extending the quantitative evidence base is critical to improving these outcomes and developing…
Abstract
Annual media attention in Australia on the students and schools with the highest scores in the final year of secondary education (Year 12) promotes a narrow and elitist perception of the educational value of such statistical achievement. This in turn leaves disadvantaged students and their schools effectively stigmatised. Various disadvantaged groups benefit from equalising processes built into the senior-year system, but children in or recently discharged from out-of-home care (OHC) and adults who were in care as children are excluded from the official list of “equity” groups at…
Abstract
High quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) from age 3 may promote early learning, reduce vulnerability and narrow achievement gaps between children in care and their peers. Children from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds have lower rates of participation in a formal early childhood program than children generally. However, little is known about the rate of ECEC attendance among children in out-of-home care (OHC); the type, amount and quality of service they experience as well as the factors that may create a barrier to access. This chapter from the book…
Abstract
Australian children growing up in out-of-home care (OHC) have learning outcomes well below their mainstream peers. This Chapter explores learning opportunities and challenges confronting primary school children in care. It presents a contemporary overview of policy, practice and research in this domain. The Chapter examines socio-emotional and cognitive difficulties these children often bring into OHC, especially those deriving from attachment disruption and trauma. It also considers systemic issues encountered within the care system, including placement changes and a lack of…