Infants in Care and Family Contact
This research aims to develop an understanding of infants' best interests in relation to intensive family contact during protective placements.
Introduction
This is a practice issue which has little evidence base to draw upon. Currently, infants and parents are often involved in considerable travelling for visits. The visits often occur in Department of Human Services offices and involve numbers of staff in transporting and supervision. The research looked at the impact of visiting arrangements on infants age 12 months or under.
Stage 1 of this project involved auditing the extent to which high frequency (4 or more visits a week) family contact occurred , and exploring the issues arising from this.
Research Questions
1. What are the current arrangements for infants in foster care for contact with their mothers and fathers?
2. What is the evidence of the impact on infants of these arrangements?
3. What are the directions for good practice in this area? Methodology
Multiple methods of investigation
- Literature review
- Audit of Child Protection case files – "snapshot" at 1 August 200
- Focus Groups and interviews: foster carers, case support workers, child protection workers, lawyers, Children’s Court Clinic staff, DHS High Risk Infant team.
- Brief case studies.
Emerging Themes
-
High frequency contact is often not working as intended to maintain and build family relationships
-
Travel, office environments and multiple workers involved are generating stress for infants and their mothers and fathers
-
More support is needed for babies and their parents during family contact.
The Next Steps
- Completion of journal article.
- Methodology for Stage 2 to be designed.
- Knowledge transfer for results.
References
Cassidy, J., & Shaver, P. R. (1999). Handbook of Attachment: Theory, Research, and Clinical Applications. New York: The Guilford Press.
Delfabbro, P., Barber, J., & Cooper, L. (2002). The role of parental contact in substitute care. Journal of Social Service Research, 28(3), 19-40.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Acknowledgements
Rhona Noakes, Senior Policy Officer, DHS
Jim Oommen, Senior Policy Officer, Office of the Child Safety Commissioner
Judge Paul Grant, President, Children’s Court
Bernie Geary, Child Safety Commissioner
Paul McDonald, Executive Director, DHS Children,Youth and Families
Janet Elefsiniotis, Foster Care Program, Good Shepherd Youth & Family Services
Brigitte Boulet, Manager, Anglicare Victoria
Coleen Clare, Centre for Excellence in Child & Family Welfare
Assoc Prof Campbell Paul, RCH
Assoc Prof Brigid Jordan, RCH
|
|
|
Contact
Cathy Humphreys
Meredith Kiraly
Alfred Felton Research Program,
Social Work, University of Melbourne
+61 3 8344-9433
|
|
|
|