Australian Children in Substitute Care

In 1979, the Children’s Bureau of Australia, a non-government research and advocacy body, undertook a national survey of substitute family care provided by non-government child care agencies. The report of the Survey, “Particular Care” was published by the Bureau early in 1982.

For the first time in Australia, comprehensive data is available on children being cared for in children’s homes, foster care, and homes for physically and intellectually handicapped children. While the study was restricted to non-government organizations, these organizations in fact care for more children than do government agencies; indications are that the picture obtained in the survey would also be typical of that for government sponsored care.