Kinship care is the care provided by relatives or a member of the child’s social network when a child cannot live with their parents. Kinship care is associated with greater contact with parents than foster care, with greater involvement in informal family contacts and events, less trauma in separation from parents, and less stigma. For Aboriginal families, kinship or customary care is particularly important, as it enables the child to have continuing connection to family, culture, country and community, promoting a strong and positive identity for the child.
However, when children are living away from home, family contact is not always straightforward, given the protective issues which may have been involved. The research proposed is designed to inform the longer term support of kinship care placements and continues the focus of the Alfred Felton Research Program on family contact.
Research aim
To explore contact between children and young people in kinship care and their mothers and fathers, siblings and other relatives, with a particular focus on the circumstances which create positive family contact and contribute to quality and stability of relationships.
Methodology
A literature review will be conducted. The project itself will consist of two strands:
Strand 1 will involve identifying patterns and trends in family contact arrangements by a survey of kinship carers.
Strand 2 will explore the issues arising from the survey in more depth, and in particular to hear the perspectives of children and young people, their mothers and fathers, kinship carers and support staff.
A Reference Group will guide the research and allow for action regarding policy and practice implications.
Staffing
The research will be conducted by Meredith Kiraly, Visiting Research Fellow, School of Nursing and Social Work.
The research will be overseen by Professor Cathy Humphreys, Alfred Felton Chair in Child and Family Welfare
References
Department of Human Services (Victoria). (2008). A new kinship care program model for Victoria.
Families Australia. (2007). Grandparenting: present and future. Canberra.
Paxman, M. (2006). Outcomes for Children and Young People in Kinship Care. NSW: Centre for Parenting and Research, Department of Community Services.
SNAICC. (2005). Policy Paper: Achieving stable and culturally strong out of home care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children. Melbourne: Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care,.
Children, Youth and Families Act, (2005).