Encouraging and sustaining quality care to improve outcomes for children and young people in care

Investigators:

Prof Morag McArthur, Lorraine Thomson, Giovanna Richmond

Funding Source:

Sidney Myer Fund and The Myer Foundation, to the Australian Foster Care Association

Aim:

This three-year project seeks to help address the difficulties in recruiting and retaining skilled foster carers by identifying the most effective strategies to attract, support and retain successful foster caring families. Drawing on existing evidence and the experiences of those working in this critical area, this study will develop new knowledge about best practice for direct dissemination and the creation of effective resources for government and non-government foster care providers and carers. These new sources and evidence-based tools will help support the viability of the foster care system, provide more sustainable care options, and consequently improve outcomes for children and young people in care.

Outputs:

Thomson, L., Watt, E., & McArthur, M. (2016). Literature review: Foster carer attraction, recruitment, support and retention. Canberra: Institute of Child Protection Studies, Australian Catholic University.

Richmond, G., & McArthur, M. (2017). Foster and kinship carer recruitment and retention: Encouraging and sustaining quality care to improve outcomes for children in care Canberra: Institute of Child Protection Studies, Australian Catholic University.

Associated publications

Thomson, L., McArthur, M., Barry, E. (2017). Recruiting and Retaining Foster Carers. Research to Practice Series, Issue 16. Canberra: Institute of Child Protection Studies, ACU.