https://childrenaustralia.org.au Children Australia: Advancing Child, Youth & Family Services is an open-access journal publishing evidence, research and commentary by practitioners, researchers and policymakers and the children, young people and families they support. en-gb Mon, 20 Jan 25 17:51:34 +0000 Papir Journal Platform editor@childrenaustralia.org.au (Melissa Storey) webmaster@commonline.com.au (Webmaster) https://childrenaustralia.org.au/images/children_australia_og_branding.jpg https://childrenaustralia.org.au https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3047 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3047 Tug of war Thu, 16 Jan 25 00:00:00 +0000 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3026 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3026 Young people in out-of-home care (OOHC) may face health, educational and social disadvantage due to experiencing childhood adversity. When young people transition from OOHC at 18 years of age it is recognised that this experience of disadvantage continues and is often compounded, with care leavers at risk of poor outcomes post-transition. While governments and community service organisations support young people to plan to leave OOHC, this transition to independence occurs significantly earlier than in the general population and with less support. Previous research has identified the reasons behind poor post-care outcomes but there is a knowledge gap concerning how transition planning could be improved. A scoping review of the Australian and international empirical grey literature (non-commercial or academic publications) was conducted with the aim of identifying the key factors that enable smooth transitions from OOHC, including for Indigenous populations. The search strategy involved (1) targeted searches on Google and child welfare organisation websites, (2) a child welfare database and (3) consultation with content experts. Empirical literature published in English from 2018 onwards was included. Following the screening process, 45 reports were included in the review. There were 16 reports from Australia, 13 from the United States of America, 6 from Canada, 4 from New Zealand, 4 from the United Kingdom, one international and one multi-national African study. Seventeen key themes outlining factors that contribute to smooth transitions from OOHC were identified in this review. Themes common to all care leavers (both Indigenous and non-Indigenous) included: tailored, long-term and comprehensive case management; active and meaningful involvement of young people; access to affordable housing; supportive social relationships; supportive relationships with professionals; access to post-care support; cross-sector collaboration; system factors; extended care in line with social norms; OOHC policy; individual strengths of young people; quality and stability of placements; and education and employment. Themes unique to Indigenous care leavers included: culturally appropriate support; Indigenous-led services; connection to culture; and suitable placement location. The findings of this review have implications for research, policy and practice and provide much-needed guidance for the advancement of effective transition pathways for young people living in OOHC. Tue, 14 Jan 25 00:00:00 +0000 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3048 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3048 The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child: Reflections on Australia’s progress and challenges Sat, 28 Dec 24 00:00:00 +0000 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3030 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3030 Background: Child sexual abuse and maltreatment are preventable issues, but there is limited attention given to empowering children and young people to actively contribute to prevention efforts. Objective: This study, funded by the Tasmanian Commission of Inquiry, aimed to understand children's experiences of safety in government-funded services. Participants and settings: The study involved 59 participants, including children and young people who spent time in various institutional settings like schools, out-of-home care, youth detention and hospitals. Methods: Through one-on-one interviews and focus groups, the research aimed to capture the perspectives of children and young people regarding safety, how they identify and communicate concerns and what they need from adults. Results: Findings highlighted that children perceive safety differently from adults, emphasising the crucial role of trusted allies who will believe and act upon their concerns. Participants stressed the importance of having appropriate language to express worries and called for adults and organisations to take their concerns seriously. Conclusions: While recognising that children should not bear sole responsibility for preventing child abuse, the study underscores their desire to collaborate with adults in developing child-informed strategies. The paper emphasises the need for adults and organisations to form alliances with children, removing barriers that restrict children from expressing themselves and adults from responding to the worries and concerns of children. Ultimately, this research advocates for a collaborative approach where both children and adults work together to ensure that preventative strategies align with the specific needs of children and young people. Sat, 28 Dec 24 00:00:00 +0000 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3008 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3008 For this study, we conducted a case-file analysis on a sample of 100 domestic and family violence (DFV) related child protection intake reports from the South Australian Department for Child Protection (DCP). The aim of this study was to better understand the characteristics of DFV in families involved with statutory child protection services by determining whether each individual case had characteristics of coercive control or situational couple violence. We used criteria based on established descriptors of coercive control and situational couple violence in the relevant literature to determine whether the information about DFV in the subject family was indicative of either violence type. The results indicated that coercive control and situational couple violence are both likely to make up a significant proportion of DFV seen in families involved with statutory child protection services. Recognising the heterogeneity of differing dynamics and types of violence may help child protection workers to identify appropriate interventions and supports for families impacted by DFV where children are at risk or have been harmed. Tue, 24 Dec 24 00:00:00 +0000 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3032 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3032 The politics of invisibility: Why transgender youth deserve better legislation Mon, 23 Dec 24 00:00:00 +0000 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3031 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3031 In Australia, children's rights are incorporated in standards that must be met by institutions and organisations that care for, educate and/or provide services to children and young people. Organisations that provide out-of-home care (OOHC) must also meet rights-based standards to receive and maintain accreditation by state and territory bodies with statutory parental authority. As OOHC casework practitioners, we regard upholding or, better, actioning rights as the core basis and moral justification of casework with and for children and young people in OOHC. At the same time, we are aware of and witness the painful and ongoing legacy of statutory casework practice and its negative impacts on the rights of children, young people and their families. The genesis of this commentary was an invitation to the lead author to present at the Children, Trauma and the Law conference in 2023. The purpose of the presentation was to highlight for a non-caseworker audience the relational dynamics and time involved when actioning, or giving effect to, the rights of children and young people in OOHC. The presentation drew on the author's experience of casework practice in government and non-government OOHC organisations in NSW and provided three examples of rights-based casework practice. In this commentary, we develop the rights-based themes of that presentation. We describe a national consensus that the rights of children and young people in OOHC must be prioritised. We also set out key aspects of the most important reviews of OOHC in NSW in the last two decades and return to the three casework practice examples in the original presentation. In our view, the national consensus and these reviews have shaped contemporary casework practice in NSW for the better. In particular, the attention and efforts of OOHC organisations and their caseworkers are now more attuned to a right of family connection and the impacts of family separation. This brings a more empathetic and historically informed perspective to OOHC casework practice and, in so doing, a stronger focus on the rights of children, young people and families who are in contact with the child protection system, and its twin, the OOHC sector. Mon, 23 Dec 24 00:00:00 +0000 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3027 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3027 More than one in three females and almost one in five males will experience child sexual abuse in Australia. Despite a recognised need to strive for consistent, safe and effective services that respond to child sexual abuse, there are currently no agreed minimum practice standards to guide services and victim-survivors to make informed choices about responses they provide or receive. The aim of this program was to develop Minimum Practice Standards for Specialist and Community Support Services Responding to Child Sexual Abuse (the Standards) that were evidence informed and accepted by the sector, victim-survivors and government. The design of the Standards utilised an evidence-informed mixed-methods approach and included a literature review, multiple rounds of consultation and validation and final government endorsement. This included parallel streams of focus groups, expert advisory discussions, validation processes and surveys, and consolidation of written feedback. Consultation across the community support and specialist child sexual abuse sector included: those with a lived experience; key stakeholders from the community services sector; key stakeholders - government, peak bodies, advisory groups and other interested parties; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; and academic, practice and policy experts. Through multiple cycles of iterative consultations, revisions and validation, the Standards achieved a high level of consistency and consensus on acceptability measures and received full government endorsement. The findings suggest that there will be challenges with implementing these Standards but this also reflects that change is needed across the community support and specialist child sexual abuse sector to ensure minimum standards of safe and effective care for victims and survivors of child sexual abuse. The Standards provide an important tool for critical service-, organisation- and systems-level change to occur. Fri, 20 Dec 24 00:00:00 +0000 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3025 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3025 In 2018, I penned an analysis of national and international approaches to cumulative harm in a child protection context, published in Children Australia, that identified an evolution acknowledging the impact of all harm to children as detrimental. Through analysis of the available policies informing child protection in Australia, it was clear there was a shift towards a more holistic understanding of harm and the impacts of long-term maltreatment. However, a nationwide, collaborative level of consistent practice that placed cumulative harm and reoccurring maltreatment on an equal footing with episodic maltreatment, particularly in relation to notification and reporting, had not yet been achieved. This begs the question, what has occurred to address this need, this gap, and promote the acknowledgement of cumulative harm since 2018? In this paper, I revisit this important topic, reviewing recent scholarly works, legislative developments across Australian jurisdictions and evidence from a decade of coronial inquests into child deaths that provide powerful messages of guidance on responding to cumulative harm. Sun, 15 Dec 24 00:00:00 +0000 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3035 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3035 Procedural justice and the impact of court and other decision-making processes on children and families in the child protection system Sun, 15 Dec 24 00:00:00 +0000 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3022 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3022 Children Australia: Building knowledge - Improving outcomes Fri, 20 Sep 24 00:00:00 +0000 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3021 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3021 Children Australia: Publisher's welcome Fri, 20 Sep 24 00:00:00 +0000 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3023 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3023 A shared vision for all Australian children and young people Fri, 20 Sep 24 00:00:00 +0000 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3019 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3019 Is child safety and wellbeing a national priority in Australia? Fri, 20 Sep 24 00:00:00 +0000 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3007 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3007 The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and the more recent Malka Leifer trial have both highlighted concerns about manifestations of child sexual abuse within the Australian Jewish community. Yet, to date, there has been no examination of how Australian Jewish organisations have responded to these concerns and, particularly, whether the child safe standards introduced at state and/or national level have been actively operationalised within their core policies and practices. This paper presents the findings of an exploratory desktop audit of the child safe policies of 10 de-identified Victorian Jewish organisations. Our findings suggest that they are, at least in principle, adhering to the 11 mandatory Child Safe Standards in Victoria and, in several cases, are also providing a specific religious and cultural rationale for prioritising child safety measures. Nevertheless, more research is required to ascertain whether the public policy statements (i.e. their intent) are being matched by action. Keywords: child safe standards, child sexual abuse, Jewish community, royal commission. Fri, 20 Sep 24 00:00:00 +0000 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3016 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3016 This paper takes a critical practice lens to examine the challenge of selecting a fit-for-purpose tool to assess children and young people who have displayed harmful sexual behaviours (HSB). When assessing risk and complex behavioural or mental health concerns, we often turn to structured tools or protocols to guide and inform our thinking and decision making. The area of understanding risk in HSB is no different. However, practitioners and front-line workers often find themselves feeling ill prepared to make thorough assessments of wellbeing and risk of future harm related to a child or young person who has displayed HSB. Blending practice-based wisdom and evidence-based literature, six key elements have been identified to help guide practitioners to select the right fit-for-purpose tool to support assessment of children and young people who have displayed HSB. These elements aim to provide guidance to practitioners to inform decision making about tool selection, ensuring that chosen tools are fit for purpose. Keywords: assessing risk, child sexual abuse, harmful sexual behaviours, tools to assess risk of harm. Fri, 20 Sep 24 00:00:00 +0000 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3011 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3011 Numerous studies have emphasised the importance of parents' knowledge of children's learning and their input in early childhood education. Over the past 15 years, the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) has been central to Australian early years education, generating extensive scholarly literature on its concepts and applications. However, there remains a notable gap in research utilising the EYLF to investigate parents' perspectives on children's learning. The present study addressed this gap by examining how preschool parents perceived children's learning in early childhood education, drawing on the foundational concepts of 'being', 'belonging' and 'becoming' from the Framework. A sample of 48 preschool parents participated in the study, responding to a 12-item questionnaire designed to investigate three main questions: How do children learn? What are the priorities in children's learning? What are the influences on children's learning? Findings from the study indicated that parents prioritised nurturing their children's sense of being, while also recognising the importance of belonging and becoming, aligning with the fundamental aspirations for children's learning outlined in the EYLF. Moreover, parents perceived early childhood settings, particularly the roles of teachers and children's peers, as essential for fostering a wide range of learning experiences, reflecting contemporary early childhood discourses. These results shed light on how professional and unprofessional boundaries that are defined between early childhood educators and parents need to be renavigated, emphasising the importance of parenting knowledge in shaping children's educational experiences and highlighting the necessity of collaborative efforts and equal positions between parents and educators to optimise children's learning and development. Fri, 20 Sep 24 00:00:00 +0000 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3012 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3012 Research engagement and impact: The Australian Child Maltreatment Study and pathways to evidence-based policy and practice Fri, 20 Sep 24 00:00:00 +0000 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3028 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3028 Tribute for Dr Joe Tucci Fri, 20 Sep 24 00:00:00 +0000 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3029 https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3029 Remembering Dr Frank Ainsworth Fri, 20 Sep 24 00:00:00 +0000