The UK ‘Looking After Children’ Project: Fit for ‘out-of-home care’ practice in Australia?

This paper, based on material previously presented at the ACWA Biennial Conference in Sydney, describes the design, development and implementation of the ‘Looking After Children’ practice and management materials in the UK. The paper traces the research and practice background to the trialing of these out-of-home care assessment and planning materials in the UK, where they are expected to be adopted and implemented by all statutory agencies by the end of 1998. The international interest in the Assessment and Action Record is supported by an exploration of the arguments for child-focussed assessment and planning for ‘placement as a process – not an event’. Finally there is coverage of the three recently completed pilot projects in Western Australia. An argument is made for the adoption and adaptation of these materials as potential practice standards for the ‘State as parent’.