4. National Standards for Out of Home Care
4.1 Why develop National Standards for Out of Home Care?
The Australian Government, state and territory governments and the non-government sector are developing National Standards to ensure children in need of Out of Home Care are given consistent, best-practice care, no matter where they live.
National Standards will ensure that children across Australia who are unable to live with their immediate family will receive the best possible care and support.
Most Australian jurisdictions already regulate the Out of Home Care system with a series of policies and standards that cover:
- Organisational management and capacity - including governance arrangements and management capability. For example, Victoria has a standard on the organisation's leadership and management capacity to provide clarity of direction, ensure accountability and support quality and responsive services for children, youth and their families.
- Provision of quality care to children and young people - such as the placement of children in a suitable living arrangement, or case management and support of the child or young person. For example, South Australia has a standard on case management that requires Families' SA (South Australia) caseworkers to meet best-practice standards in working with young people, their families and carers.
- Recruitment of carers and employees - to ensure that staff are adequately qualified to provide care to a child (and young person), and they are not excluded from working with children. For example, Western Australia includes a standard concerning carers and staff recruitment, training, assessment and support.
For many jurisdictions, the development of Out of Home Care standards has been a relatively recent initiative. However, in Australia and internationally, research into the benefits of standards of care is limited, particularly regarding outcomes for children.
Additionally, standards documents vary widely, not only here in Australia but also internationally. Although all state and territory governments and non-government organisations are working to improve outcomes for children and young people in care, the practices, processes and outcomes utilised differ which creates obstacles when attempts are made to create a national picture of outcomes for children in care.
The development of National Standards aims to address the inconsistencies of state and territory regulations and standards for Out of Home Care. National Standards will help to ensure that every child or young person in care receives opportunities to develop at the same pace as children who are not living in Out of Home Care.
4.2 What types of Out of Home Care would be covered by National Standards?
The National Standards are intended for formal care arrangements. Formal Out of Home Care service options include but are not limited to residential care, foster care and kinship care (where the carer is supported by an agency).
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare defines Out of Home Care as: Alternative accommodation for children under 18 years of age who are unable to live with their parents, where the State or Territory makes a financial payment or where a financial payment has been offered but declined.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare's data does not include children who are living in Out of Home Care outside the child protection system, such as placements made in disability services, medical or psychiatric services, juvenile justice facilities, overnight childcare services or supported accommodation assistance services.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare characterises a number of different living arrangements as Out of Home Care:
- foster care - where placement is in the home of a carer who is receiving a payment from a State or Territory for caring for a child
- relative or kinship care - where the caregiver is a family member or a person with a pre-existing relationship with the child
- family group homes - where placement is in a residential building that is owned by the jurisdiction and that is typically run like a family home, with a limited number of children who are cared for around-the-clock by resident carers
- residential care - where placement is in a residential building whose purpose is to provide placements for children and where there are paid staff. This category includes facilities where there are rostered staff and where staff are off site
- independent living - such as private boarding arrangements
- other - where the placement type does not fit into the above categories or is unknown.
At this stage in development, the scope of the application of the National Standards has not been finalised. Current standards apply to a range of carers and providers in the Out of Home Care sector, including those in family-based (foster care, relative care and kinship care) and non-family based care (residential care, transitional accommodation, commercial care workers, congregate care and independent living).
This is an important area for discussion during consultations.
4.3 Developing National Standards to influence outcomes
The key question for developing National Standards is - how can Out of Home Care positively influence the well-being of children and young people?
Out of Home Care plays a significant role in shaping the lives and development of children and young people who experience it. Quality Out of Home Care that is safe and stable can help children and young people recover from the experience of abuse and neglect. Alternately, Out of Home Care can compound the harm that children have already been exposed to.
Unfortunately, research shows that overall, children placed in Out of Home Care generally experience poorer outcomes in terms of their education (and employment), health and safety. In particular, multiple and unstable placements can have further detrimental effects on a child's development.
National Standards for Out of Home Care seek to drive improvements in the quality of care so that children and young people in care have the same opportunities as other children to reach their potential in all the key areas of well-being.
National Standards will identify the key factors within care that directly influence positive outcomes for children and young people. For each of the factors, National Standards will be defined that are measurable, and set at the best-practice level, so that all jurisdictions are driving improvements.
| Areas of well-being | Factors in Out of Home Care that influence outcomes | Desired outcomes for children in care |
|---|---|---|
| Health (including physical and mental health) |
Factors in Out of Home Care that may form the basis of standards:
| Attain and maintain good health Develop effective coping style |
| Safety | A stable environment that is free from physical, emotional and/or sexual abuse Develop social connections | |
| Learning and achieving | Achievement of developmental milestones Participation and achievement in education | |
| Emotional development | Stability in behaviour Positive and supportive relationships | |
| Culture and community | Cultural identity and ethnic pride Participation in community | |
| Spirituality | Positive sense of identity Connection to family/significant others and land/country |
4.3.1 The views of children and young people
The views of children and young people about what contributes to effective Out of Home Care are important. A recent CREATE summit65 reflected the views of young people on the 'good' aspects of Out of Home Care as follows:
- constant review of placement
- equality/welcoming/respect/courtesy
- stability
- family environment
- open communication
- support with life skills, practical things and emotional support
- encouraged to be yourself
- access to birth family
- families work with carer and/or case worker and young people
- staying with foster carer after they turn 18.
The features listed above place particular emphasis on stability and safety, and attachment and connection. Children and young people will be consulted further during the development of the National Standards.
4.4 Summary
The challenge for this project is to establish clear and realistic standards and performance requirements for Out of Home Care. Out of Home Care systems must be encouraged and supported to focus on those key factors that can positively contribute to the well-being of children and young people.
Improving outcomes for children and young people in care requires a comprehensive response across a child's life course, including:
- early intervention and family support
- providing better quality care to assist them in overcoming the experiences they had before entering the Out of Home Care system
- stability and continuity
- providing opportunities for more gradual transition from care
- providing ongoing support, particularly to those with mental health problems and complex needs.66
Development of National Standards is a key, early action under the National Framework. Most Australian jurisdictions already regulate their Out of Home Care system using a range of standards. The National Standards will focus on the six areas of well-being and healthy development of a child to ensure they receive the same opportunities, to develop at the same pace, as those children who not living in Out of Home Care.
- http://www.create.org.au/files/pdf/2009%20NYAC_report%20FINAL2.pdf(Opens in a new tab/window), accessed December 2009.
- Stein, M, 'Research Review: Young People Leaving Care', Child and Family Social Work 2006, 11, 3, pp. 273-9.