Article type: Original Research
1 December 2015
Volume 40 Issue 4
Article type: Original Research
1 December 2015
Volume 40 Issue 4
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Children in Out of Home Care: Should we give them a Fair Go?
Nicole Peel1 *
Alan Beckley2
Affiliations
1 Western Sydney University–Science and Health, Narellan Road Campbelltown, NSW 2560, Australia
2 Western Sydney University–Office of Widening Participation, Great Western Highway Werrington, NSW 2747, Australia
Correspondence
* Nicole Peel
Contributions
Nicole Peel -
Alan Beckley -
Nicole Peel1 *
Alan Beckley2
Affiliations
1 Western Sydney University–Science and Health, Narellan Road Campbelltown, NSW 2560, Australia
2 Western Sydney University–Office of Widening Participation, Great Western Highway Werrington, NSW 2747, Australia
Correspondence
* Nicole Peel
Part of Special Series: Out of Home Care-Reflecting on the Past and Envisioning Future Developments
CITATION: Peel N., & Beckley A. (2015). Children in Out of Home Care: Should we give them a Fair Go? Children Australia, 40(4), 1987. doi.org/10.1017/cha.2015.37
Abstract
This paper identifies a sizeable group of vulnerable children who suffer discrimination and under-achievement on a daily basis in Australia, with particular attention to NSW out-of-home care (OOHC) practices. The purpose of the paper is to highlight the gaps in services specifically relating to the education of children in OOHC, care leavers and young carers. The paper identifies the extent of the issue, the ways that OOHC children suffer discrimination and possible solutions. As OOHC children are not a specific equity group targeted for support by governments, their identity, numbers, problems and issues are not recorded or singled out for specialist support. The paper recognises that further research is required, but offers some ways forward giving examples of widening participation in education. However, it comes to the conclusion that OOHC children are not given a “Fair go”.