Reforming the Foster Care System in
Australia
A Model of Support Education and
Payment for Foster Parents
ACCAN 14th Australasian Conference
On Child Abuse and Neglect
29 March – 1 April 2015
Auckland New Zealand
A Berry Street Initiative
Presenters:
Anita Pell, Senior Advisor Home Based
Care, Berry Street
Julian Pocock, Director Public Policy and
Practice Development, Berry Street
Historical Context - Child Savers and Rescuers, Baby Farmers and Foster Care
Photo source: Brotherhood of St Laurence collection, as published in Family Matters
A Berry Street Initiative
Professionalised Foster Care
- a century in the making
• 1874 NSW Royal Commission into Public Charities
• Professionalising Foster Care - a priority in early 20th century
• Key issues driving the need to professionalise care :
• poor quality care
• decline in carer numbers and increasing demand
• inadequate financial support
• complexity of children’s behaviour
• need for increased training and support
• carers feeling disrespected by the system
Excellent Women and Troublesome Children: State Foster Care in Tasmania, 1896-1918 Caroline Evans
Labour History Journal, Number 83 • November 2002
A Berry Street Initiative
Current need for a ‘new’
professionalised foster care model
• Foster care decline (particularly Victoria), last year over
600 carers left Vic system - 450 were recruited
• Financial support and training for carers inadequate
• Demand growing due to the intersection of alcohol,
other drugs, mental health and family violence
• System is more complex and children have multiple and
complex needs
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander at least ten times
more likely than other children to be placed in OOHC
A Berry Street Initiative
Berry Street Integrated
Professionalised Foster Care Model
• A New Model of Support, Education and Payments for Foster
Parents
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clinical assessment
therapeutic support
based on levels of complexity
covers FP costs – direct and indirect
covers agency costs.
A Berry Street Initiative
The Model
• Need for a professionalised foster care system
• Foster Parent Training and Professionalism
• Model Components
• Financial Resources
• Placement Support
• Foster Parent Networking Support
• Foster Parent Training
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Model Components
1.Foster Parent Recruitment, Training &
Assessment
Face to Face and Web Based On-Line Training
•Pre Service Training & Assessment
•Core Modules
•Elective Modules
•Supervision, Access to Professional Literature &
Workshops
•Supervision
•Attendance at workshops and conferences
•Research & Best Practice Reports
2.Placement Support
4.Financial Resources
•Fostering Allowance
•Foster Parent Fee
•Payment to CSO's for
Operational Costs
Integrated
Funding
Model of
Foster
Care
3. Foster Parent
Network Support
•Localised Peer Support
•Web Based Peer Support
•Carer Advocacy
•Sons & Daughters Peer
Support & Training
•Early Learning for Children
Groups
A Berry Street Initiative
•Assessment on Entry to
Care by clinician
•Therapeutic intervention,
support & consultation
•Education Support
•Connection to
community/culture/key
attachments
Model Component
Foster Parent Training
1.Foster Parent Training
Face to Face and Web Based On-Line Training
• Pre Service Training
• Core Modules
• Elective Modules
• Supervision, Access to Professional Literature &
Workshops
• Education components of supervision
• Attendance at workshops and conferences
• Research & Best Practice Reports
Integrated
Funding
Model of
Foster Care
A Berry Street Initiative
Model Component
Placement Support
2.Placement Support
• Assessment on entry to care
by clinician
• Therapeutic intervention,
support & consultation
• Education Support
• Connection to
community/culture/key
attachments
Integrated
Funding
Model of
Foster Care
A Berry Street Initiative
Model Component
Foster Parent Network Support
3. Foster Parent Network Support
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•
•
•
Localised Peer Support
Web Based Peer Support
Carer Advocacy
Sons & Daughters Peer Support
& Training
• Early Learning for Children
Groups
Integrated
Funding
Model of
Foster Care
A Berry Street Initiative
Model Component
Financial Resources
4.Financial
Resources
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Remuneration
Fostering Allowance
Foster Parent Fee
Payment to CSO for
Operational Costs
Integrated
Funding
Model of
Foster Care
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A Partnership Approach to
implementation of the new model
•State Government
•Federal Government
1.Foster Parent Training
Face to Face and Web
Based On-Line Training
Pre Service Training;
Core Modules;
Elective Modules;
Supervision, Access to
Professional Literature &
Workshops;
Education components of
supervision;
Attendance at workshops
and conferences;
Research & Best Practice
Reports;
2.Placement Support
Assessment on Entry to Care
by Clinician;
Therapeutic intervention,
support and consultation;
•Service Delivery Agency
•State Government
•Therapeutic Agency
Education Support;
Connectioin to community /
culture / key attachments.
3Foster Parent Network
Support
Localised Peer Support;
•Service Delivery Agency
•State Government
•State Foster Care Association
•State child welfare peak bodies
•Specialist resource development
organisations
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4.Resources
Remuneration
Fostering Allowance
Foster Parent Fee
Payment to CSO's for
Operational Costs
Web Based Peer Support;
Carer Advocacy;
Sons & Daughters Peer
Support & Training;
Early Learning for Children
Groups.
•Service Delivery Agency
•State Foster Care Association
•Specialist resource
development organisations
Next Steps
• Lobbying and Advocacy
• Save Foster Care Campaign
• Taxation and industrial relations reforms to
recognise this particular category of work
• Economic modeling – A Stitch in Time
• Senate Inquiry into OOHC
• Royal Commission examining OOHC
• Implementation of elements of the model
within Berry Street and the OOHC sector
A Berry Street Initiative
Questions?
www.savefostercare.org.au
www.childhoodinstitute.org.au
• Anita Pell- Senior Advisor, Home Based Care
[email protected]
• Julian Pocock
Director, Public Policy & Practice Development
[email protected]
A Berry Street Initiative