Bibliographies
The following bibliography has been compiled from the Australian Family & Society Abstracts database and other resources held in the Institute's library. Where available a link to the document on the Web is provided. Most items can be borrowed from the Institute's library via the inter library loan system. Online publications in PDF format require Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Kinship Care
A further perspective on kinship care: Indigenous
foster care.
McHugh, Marilyn
Developing Practice: The Child, Youth and Family Work
Journal no.8 Summer 2003: 14-24
In light of the increasing reliance on kinship care
of Indigenous children, the author examines the differences
between Indigenous and non-Indigenous care and the
resulting difficulties facing carers and the Indigenous
agencies supporting them. The implementation of the
Aboriginal (and Islander) Child Placement Principle
(ACPP), intended to redress previous policies such
as the forced removal of Indigenous children, is examined
across each state, with increased compliance in most
States noted for 2001 - 02. When patterns for out of
home care (OOHC) are examined, a preference for care
of Indigenous children being provided by a relative
is identified. Although this form of care provides
benefits, the article also discusses the difficulties.
Variation in the provision of remuneration, with kin
carers not necessarily being paid, is noted, as is
the use of carers who tend to be single, poor and elderly,
such as grandmothers. The variability in agency support
for carers and high case loads in agencies is also
reported. The difficulties in recruitment, training
and support of Indigenous carers and the lack of assessment
are discussed.
Kinship care and Aboriginal communities.
Bridge, A
Developing Practice: The Child, Youth and Family
Work Journal no.1 Winter 2001: 8-10
There is a strong tradition within Aboriginal communities
of extended families looking after the children when
the children's own parents are unable to do so. In
this article the author explains, however, that this
does not mean that kinship carers and children do
not need or want assistance from outside agencies,
including the Department of Community Services.
Kinship
care: a culturally appropriate practice framework
for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
Bromfield, Leah; Richardson, Nick;
Higgins, Daryl.
In: Blossoming of our children: 10th Australasian
Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect, presentations
and abstracts. Wellington, NZ, 14-16 February Online
only, (PowerPoint in PDF 724K)
The growing use of kinship care and the benefits
and disadvantages of kinship care are examined in
this presentation. The paper investigates the appropriateness
of the existing placement model for placing children
in kinship care, looking at the stages of recruitment
of carer, assessment and pre service training, placement,
and ongoing monitoring and support. It considers
the cultural appropriateness of the existing placement
model for the Australian Indigenous community and
discusses the Aboriginal Child Placement Principle.
Kinship care: a differentiated and sensitive
approach.
Cashmore, J
Developing Practice: The Child, Youth and Family
Work Journal no.1 Winter 2001: 5-8
Kinship care, or placing children with relatives
in formal care after protective intervention by the
state, is a relatively recent trend in policy and
practice. Previously, children in need of care were
placed with foster carers outside the family. A shortage
of foster carers and the recognition of the importance
of children maintaining contact with their families
and culture, have combined to overturn the practice
of placing children outside the family. In this article
the author looks at the benefits of kinship care,
the different levels of financial support, services
and supervision needed, and the implications for
including children in kinship care within the out
of home care system.
Kinship care in Australia.
Spence, Nigel
Child Abuse Review v.13 2004: 263-276, figures
Kinship care is now the most common form of out of
home care placement for Indigenous children. This
article reports the findings of a NSW research project,
which aimed to increase the understanding of formal
kinship care in Australia. It discusses national
trends in out of home care placements, NSW data on
kinship care, the experiences of kinship carers,
children and case workers, reasons for kinship care,
legislation and policy, and carer experience of stress
and needs for support. It also discusses recent developments
in policy and practice that are emerging in response
to kinship care.
Listening to kinship carers - shared counselling
and the power of connection.
McGushin, Donna
Developing Practice: The Child, Youth and Family
Work Journal no.12 Autumn 2005: 51-58
The NSW Department of Community Services defines
kinship care as the placement of children or young
persons within their extended family or family network.
In 2001, kinship care made up a proportion of 55%
of out-of-home care placements. This article outlines
some of the many issues that kinship carers face
when they take on the care of their relative children,
then describes the setting up of a shared counselling
group for kinship carers which enabled them to make
sense of their experiences in a safe and supportive
setting. The facilitator's role is explained, as
are processes and aims. The achievements of the Nepean
Kinship Carers Group are outlined, and it is explained
how, from its beginnings in 2000, the group grew
beyond its original intention to create a community
of concern about kinship care.
Social and emotional issues of children
in kinship foster care and stressors on kinship
carers: a review of the Australian and international
literature.
Dunne, Emer G; Kettler, Lisa J
Children Australia v.31 no.2 2006: 22-29
The Australian and international literature on social
and emotional issues affecting children in kinship
foster care, and on stresses experienced by kinship
foster carers, is reviewed. The ideology supporting
the use of kinship care is that it is in the child's
best interests because it helps them to maintain
ties with their family of origin. The literature
suggests that children placed with kinship foster
carers suffer from a range of social and emotional
issues and these may impact on outcomes in adulthood.
The existing literature does not, however, adequately
differentiate the impacts of kinship care itself
from the children's pre existing difficulties and
there is a paucity of literature comparing kinship
care outcomes with outcomes for children who have
experienced other forms of out of home care. Common
stressors on kinship foster carers are economic disadvantage,
stress, health issues and lack of resources. (Journal
abstract, edited)
The effects of parental drug use: children
in kinship care: a review of the literature.
Patton, N
St Kilda South, Vic: Mirabel Foundation, 2003, 19p
This report collates the current literature on children
and families who have experienced parental illicit
drug use. The author discusses the position of kinship
families who care for these children. She quotes
research showing that the number of children being
raised by grandparents has increased significantly
in the past decade and that this is largely a result
of an increase in numbers of drug addicted parents.
She discusses characteristics of kinship care, child
protection and kinship care, grief issues, parenting,
financial and legal matters, and interventions to
support kinship care.
The
perceived experiences of children and adolescents
living with their grandparents: 'Why living with
my grandparents is so ... good'.
Hislop, Angela; Horner, Barbara; Downie, Jill; Hay,
David
Perth, WA: Centre for Research into Aged Care Services,
Curtin University of Technology, 2004, 69p, figures,
tables, Online (PDF 602K)
Increasing numbers of children are cared for full
time by their grandparents. This paper reports the
results of a study that investigated the experiences
of children in grandparent kinship care with the
aim of identifying elements contributing to or detracting
from their healthy development. The first part of
the study used interviews and focus groups to collect
qualitative data, and the second part used a psychological
assessment tool to measure the self concept and emotional
well being of the participating children.
Would a formal treaty help Torres Strait
Islanders achieve legal recognition of their customary
adoption practice?
Ban, Paul
Indigenous Law Bulletin v.6 no.19 May 2006: 17-21
This article discusses whether the formal recognition
of Australia's history and the negotiation of a treaty
or agreement between Indigenous and non Indigenous
Australians are central to reconciliation and the
achievement of Indigenous self-determination and
equality. It uses examples from New Zealand and Canada
as reference points when discussing treaty agreements
in the Australian context. The article focuses on
the practical example of how a treaty or agreement
might help Torres Strait Islanders achieve legal
recognition of their customary adoption practice.