Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dsjbd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-01T10:29:30.616Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Exploring the dimensions of professionalising fostering: Carers’ perceptions of their fostering role

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 February 2016

Ciara Smyth  and
Marilyn McHugh
Ciara Smyth
Affiliation:
Social Policy Research Centre, University of New South Wales. Email: [email protected]
Marilyn McHugh
Affiliation:
Social Policy Research Centre, University of New South Wales. Email: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Australia is experiencing major difficulties attracting and retaining foster carers. This crisis in recruitment has focused attention on whether fostering can continue to rely on voluntary carers. This paper examines data from a 2003/4 survey of foster carers in New South Wales commissioned by the Department of Community Services. The research explores carers’ perceptions of the nature of the fostering role and examines these in relation to three dimensions of professionalisation: training, support and payment. The findings indicate that the majority of carers believe fostering should be regarded as a professional or semi-professional role. Among these carers, there was a higher level of support for the three dimensions of professionalisation compared to carers who regard their role as voluntary. Differences in perceptions were not attributable to other socio-demographic characteristics, aside from education levels. This paper also addresses the policy implications of these findings for the future recruitment and retention of carers.

Type
Research Article
Information
Children Australia , Volume 31 , Issue 1 , 2006 , pp. 12 - 20
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2006

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Australian Foster Care Association (AFCA) (2005) Securing a Safe and Effective Foster Care System: Priorities and Positions Statements, AFCA, Canberra.Google Scholar
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) (2005) Child Protection Australia, 2003–2004, Child Welfare Series No 36, AIHW, December, Canberra.Google Scholar
Barber, J.G. & Gilbertson, R. (2001) Foster Care: The State of the Art, Australian Centre for Community Services Research (ACCSR).Google Scholar
Butcher, A. (2004a) ‘Getting Smarter in the Smart State: Strengthening fostering families into the future’, keynote address at the CROCCS Conference, Building Stronger Families, Mackay, 6–8 August 2004.Google Scholar
Butcher, A. (2004b) ‘Foster Care in Australia in the 21st Century’, Developing Practice, No 11, 42–54.Google Scholar
Butcher, A. (2005) ‘Upping the ante! The training and status of foster carers in Queensland’, Children Australia, Vol 30, No 3.Google Scholar
Carter, J. (2002) …towards better foster care… reducing the risks, The Children’s Foundation, Melbourne.Google Scholar
Cashmore, J., Dolby, R. & Brennan, D. (1994) Systems Abuse: Problems and Solutions, a report of the NSW Child Protection Council, February, Sydney.Google Scholar
Children and Family Welfare Association of Australia (CAFWAA) (2002) A Time to Invest in Australia’s Most Disadvantaged Children, Young People and Their Families, Policy Paper, CAFWAA, Sydney.Google Scholar
Colton, M. & Williams, M. (1997) The World of Foster Care, Arena, Aldershot.Google Scholar
Community Services Commission (CSC) (2000) New Directions – from Substitute to Supported Care, Final Inquiry Report, November, CSC, Sydney.Google Scholar
Corrick, H. (1999) ‘The Professionalisation of Foster Care’ in Wheal, A. (ed.), The Companion to Foster Care, Russell House Publishing, Dorset.Google Scholar
Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) Queensland (2004) Protecting Children: An Enquiry into Abuse of Children in Foster Care, CMC, Brisbane.Google Scholar
Department of Community Services (DoCS) (2003) DoCS: Blueprint for Change, DoCS, Ashfield.Google Scholar
Department of Community Services (DoCS) (2004) Framework for the Future of Out of Home Care in NSW, OOHC Policy Directorate, NSW DoCS, Ashfield.Google Scholar
Department of Human Services (DHS) (2003) Public Parenting: A review of home-based care in Victoria, DHS, Melbourne.Google Scholar
Department of Human Services (DHS) (2005) Protecting children … The Next Steps, White Paper, Office of Children, Melbourne.Google Scholar
Fostering Network (2004) ‘Shortage of UK foster carers reaches critical level’, viewed 15 December, 2004, http://www.thefostering.net/newspub/story.cfm%3Fid=102.html Google Scholar
Gain, L., Ross, E. & Fogg, S. (1987) The Balancing Act: Foster Care in NSW, NCOSS, Sydney Google Scholar
Hayden, C, Goddard, J., Gorin, S. & Van Der Spek, N. (1999) State Child Care: Looking After Children?, London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.Google Scholar
Kirkton, D., Beecham, J. & Ogilvie, K. (2003) Remuneration and Performance in Foster Care, University of Kent, Canterbury.Google Scholar
Lowe, K. (1999) ‘Training for foster carers’, in Wheal, A. (ed.). The Companion to Foster Care, Russell House Publishing, Dorset, pp. 156–165.Google Scholar
McHugh, M. (2002) The Costs of Caring: A Study of Appropriate Foster Care Payments for Stable and Adequate Out of Home Care in Australia, report prepared for the Child and Family Welfare Association of Australia, the Australian Foster Care Association and the Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies, Sydney.Google Scholar
McHugh, M. (2003) ‘Paying for care: The state of affairs in fostering’, paper presented at the 8th AIFS Conference, Steps Forward for Families: Research, Practice and Policy, Melbourne, 12–14 February.Google Scholar
McHugh, M., McNab, J., Smyth, C., Chalmers, J., Siminski, P. & Saunders, P. (2004) The Availability of Foster Carers, a report prepared for the NSW Department of Community Services, Social Policy Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney.Google Scholar
NATSEM (2005) May the labour force be with you, AMP.NATSEM Income and Wealth Report, Issue 12, November, Canberra.Google Scholar
National Foster Care Association (NFCA) (1996) Foster Carers: Payment for Skills, NFCA, London.Google Scholar
Oldfield, N. (1997) The Adequacy of Foster Care Allowances, Ashgate, England.Google Scholar
Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) (2002) Babies and Bosses: Reconciling Work and Family Life, Volume 1, OECD Publications Unit, France.Google Scholar
PeakCare Queensland (2002) Towards Sustainable Sendees for Children, Young People and their Families: The real costs of providing child protection senices in Queensland, PeakCare Queensland Inc, November, Brisbane.Google Scholar
SAFCARE (South Australian Foster Care Association) (1997) ‘Professionalism in Foster Care’, unpublished paper, Foster Care National Conference, SAFCARE, Adelaide.Google Scholar
Sellick, C. (1999) “The International perspective of Foster Care’, in Wheal, A. (ed.), The Companion to Foster Care, Russell House Publishing, Dorset.Google Scholar
Siminski, P., Chalmers, J. & McHugh, M. (2005) ‘Foster Carers in New South Wales: Profile and projections based on ABS Census Data’, Children Australia, Vol 30, No 3.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sinclair, I., Gibbs, I. & Wilson, K. (2000) Supporting Foster Placements, Report One, Social Work Research and Development Unit, University of York.Google Scholar
Testa, M. & Rolock, N. (1999) ‘Professional Foster Care: A future worth pursuing’, Child Welfare Vol LXXVIII, #1, Jan/Feb, pp.108–123.Google Scholar
Thorpe, R. (2004) ‘You have to be crackers: Worker and carer experiences in the foster care system’, paper presented at the National Foster Care Conference Walking Together: People, Policy and Practice, Canberra, 29–31 October.Google Scholar
Triseliotis, J., Borland, M. & Hill, M. (2000) Delivering Foster Care, BAAF, London.Google Scholar
Warren, D. (1999) ‘National standards in foster care’, in Wheal, A. The Companion to Foster Care, Russell House Publishing, Dorset, Russell House Publishing, pp.49–56.Google Scholar
Zelizer, V.A. (1985) Pricing the Priceless Child, The Changing Social Value of Children, Basic Books Inc., Publishers, New York.Google Scholar