Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-xbtfd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-08T04:24:39.060Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Sibling relationships in the care system: Attachment, separation and contact issues

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 February 2016

Helen Schwenke ,
Susan Hudd  and
David Vicary
Helen Schwenke
Affiliation:
Program and Sector Development, Department for Community Development, WA
Susan Hudd
Affiliation:
Program and Sector Development, Department for Community Development, WA
David Vicary
Affiliation:
Office for Children and Youth Centre for Vulnerable Children, University of Western Australia School of Psychology, Curtin University of Technology. Email: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

A number of key authors maintain sibling relationships are absolutely crucial when considering out-of-home care options, while policy derived from theory and practice must guarantee that the best interests of the child(ren) are taken into account. Furthermore, placing siblings together is most likely to be a protective factor against placement breakdown. This being the case, care plans should focus on ensuring sibling connectedness and the maintenance of emotional bonds into adulthood.

This paper discusses current out-of-home care policy and practice in Western Australia which incorporates research from (1) attachment theory, (2) family structure, (3) cultural diversity, (4) development, (5) contact, (6) care planning, and (7) long-term care to provide guidance when considering siblings entering the out-of-home care system. The authors contend that this approach improves decision making practice and is consistent with new legislation — the Children and Community Services Act 2004, which is expected to be introduced in Western Australia on 1 March 2006, and which has as its underlying principle the best interests of the child.

Type
Research Article
Information
Children Australia , Volume 31 , Issue 1 , 2006 , pp. 5 - 11
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

Ainsworth, F. & Maluccio, A.N. (2002) ‘Siblings in out-of-home-care: Time to rethink?’, Children Australia, Vol 27, No 2.Google Scholar
Australian Foster Care Association (2004) Securing a safe and effective foster care system, Australian Foster Care Association.Google Scholar
Barnardos (2003) Establishing permanency for children: The issues of contact between children in permanent foster care and their birth families, unpublished paper, NSW, Australia.Google Scholar
Barth, R. & Berry, M. (1988) Adoption and disruption: Rates, risks and responses, Aldine de Gruyter, New York.Google Scholar
Beckett, S. (1999) ‘Local authority planning and decision-making for looked after siblings’, in Mullender, A. (ed.), We are family: Sibling relationships in placement and Beyond, British Agencies for Adoption and Fostering, UK.Google Scholar
Berlin, L.J. & Cassidy, J. (1999) ‘Relations among relationships: Contributions from Attachment Theory and Research’, in Cassidy, J. & Shaver, P. (eds), Handbook of attachment: Theory, research, and clinical applications, The Guildford Press, New York.Google Scholar
Berndt, R.M. & Berndt, C.H. (1983) The Aboriginal Australians: The first pioneers, Pitman, Sydney.Google Scholar
Berridge, D. & Cleaver, H. (1987) Foster home breakdown, Basil Blackwell, Oxford.Google Scholar
Bilson, A. & Barker, R. (1992) ‘Siblings of children in care or accommodation: A neglected area of practice’, Practice, Vol. 6, No. 4.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Byng-Hall, J. (1999) ‘Family and couple therapy: Toward greater security’, in Cassidy, J. & Shaver, P. (eds), Handbook of attachment: Theory, research, and clinical applications, The Guildford Press, New York.Google Scholar
Carlson, J. (2003) ‘Foreword’, in Erdman, P. & Caffery, T. (eds), Attachment and family systems: Conceptual, empirical, and therapeutic relatedness, Brunner-Routledge, New York.Google Scholar
Carter, J. (2004) ‘A new vision for foster care’, paper for the Australian Foster Care Association Annual Conference, October, Canberra.Google Scholar
Cashmorc, J. (2002) ‘Promoting the participation of children and young people in care’, Child Abuse & Neglect, Vol. 26, 837–847.Google Scholar
Cassidy, J. & Shaver, P.R. (eds) (1999) Handbook of attachment: Theory, research, and clinical applications. The Guildford Press, New York.Google Scholar
Collard, K. (2000) ‘Aboriginal culture’, in Dudgeon, P., Pickett, H. & Garvey, D. (eds), Working with Indigenous Australians: A handbook for psychologists, CIRC, Centre for Aboriginal Studies, Curtin University of Technology, 21–26.Google Scholar
Committee on Early Childhood, Adoption and Dependent Care (2000) ‘Developmental issues for young children in foster care’, Pediatrics, Vol. 106, No. 5.Google Scholar
Crawford, F. (1989) Jalinardi ways: White fellas working in Aboriginal communities, Curtin University of Technology Publications, Perth.Google Scholar
Crawford, F. (2000) ‘Changing worlds of working with Aboriginal people’, in Dudgeon, P., Pickett, H. & Garvey, D. (eds), Working with Indigenous Australians: A handbook for psychologists, CIRC, Centre for Aboriginal Studies, Curtin University of Technology.Google Scholar
Crawford, F., Dudgeon, P., Garvey, D. & Pickett, H. (2000) ‘Interacting with Aboriginal communities’, in Dudgeon, P., Pickett, H., & Garvey, D. (eds), Working with Indigenous Australians: A handbook for psychologists, CIRC, Centre for Aboriginal Studies, Curtin University of Technology, 185–202.Google Scholar
CREATE Foundation (2004) ‘Being our best! A report on Australia’s children and young people in care’, <www.create.org.au>..>Google Scholar
Dance, C. & Rushton, A. (1999) ‘Sibling separation and contact in permanent placement’, in Mullender, A (ed), We are family: Sibling relationships in placement and beyond, British Agency for Adoption and Fostering, UK.Google Scholar
Delfabbro, P.H., Barber, J.B. & Cooper, L. (2000) ‘Placement disruption and dislocation in South Australian substitute care’, Children Australia, Vol 25, No 2, 16–20.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dozier, M., Chase Stovall, K.R. & Albus, K.E. (1999) ‘Attachment and psychopathology in adulthood’, in Cassidy, J. & Shaver, P. (eds), Handbook of attachment: Theory, research and clinical applications, Guildford Press, New York, 497–519.Google Scholar
Elgar, M. & Head, A. (1997) From court process to care plan: An empirical study of the placement of sexually abused children. Centre for Socio-Legal Studies, Wolfson College, University of Oxford, Oxford.Google Scholar
Elgar, M. & Head, A. (1999) ‘An overview of siblings’, in Mullender, A (ed), We are family: Sibling relationships in placement and beyond, British Agency for Adoption and Fostering, UK.Google Scholar
Ellison, M. (1999) ‘Planning for sibling continuity within permanency: Needs led or needs unmet’, in Mullender, A (ed), We are family: Sibling relationships in placement and beyond, British Agency for Adoption and Fostering, UK.Google Scholar
Fahlberg, V.I. (1991) A child’s journey through placement. Perspective, Indianapolis.Google Scholar
Farmer, E. & Parker, R. (1991) Trials and tribulations: Returning children from local authority care to their families, HMSO, London.Google Scholar
Farmer, E. & Pollock, S. (1998) Sexually abused and abusing children in substitute care, John Wiley & Sons, Chichester.Google Scholar
Fischer, F. (2002) ‘Placing sibling groups together in foster care: The Oz Child sibling group placement program’, Children Australia, Vol 27, No. 2, 17–22.Google Scholar
Forrest, S. & Sherwood, J. (1988) Working with Aborigines in remote areas, Western Australian College of Advanced Education, Perth.Google Scholar
Fratter, J., Rowe, J., Sapsford, D. & Thoburn, J. (1991) Permanent family placement: A decade of experience, British Agencies for Adoption and Fostering, UK.Google Scholar
Graham, M. (1999) “The African-centred worldview: Developing a paradigm for social work’, British Journal of Social Work, Vol. 29, No. 2,251–267.Google Scholar
Harper, J. (c1998) Joining and separating: A study of adoption disruption. An Australian study of adoptees conducted in New South Wales, unpublished paper.Google Scholar
Harrison, C. (1999) ‘Children being looked after and their sibling relationships: The experiences of children in the working in partnership with ‘lost’ parents research project’, in Mullender, A. (ed), We are family: sibling relationships in placement and beyond, British Agency for Adoption and Fostering, UK.Google Scholar
Harwood, R.L., Miller, J.G. & Irizarry, N.L. (1995) Culture and attachment: Perceptions of the child in context, Guildford press, NY.Google Scholar
Hcger, R. (1988) ‘Sibling relationships and separations: Implications for child placement’, Social Services Review, September, Vol. 62, 446–467.Google Scholar
Howe, D., Sawbridge, P. & Kinings, D. (1992) Haifa million women: Mothers who lose their children by adoption, Penguin, Harmondsworth.Google Scholar
Jenkins, J. (1992) ‘Sibling relationships in disharmonious homes: Potential difficulties and protective effects’, in Boer, F. & Dunn, J. (eds), Children’s siblings relationships: Developmental and clinical issues, L. Erlbaum Associates, Hillsdale, NJ.Google Scholar
Jones, A.M. (1999) ‘The achievement and sustainability of sibling contact: Why the reality falls short of the ideal’, in Mullender, A. (ed), We are family: sibling relationships in placement and beyond, British Agency for Adoption and Fostering, UK.Google Scholar
Jones, M. & Niblett, R. (1985) ‘To split or not to split: The placement of siblings’, Adoption & Fostering, Vol. 9, No. 2.Google Scholar
Katz, I., Spoonemore, M.S.W. & Robinson, C. (2000) Concurrent Planning: From permanency planning to permanency action, Seattle, WA: Lutheran Social Panel contract services of Washington and Idaho.Google Scholar
Kobak, R. (1999) ‘The emotional dynamics of disruptions in attachment relationships: Implications for theory, research, and clinical intervention’, in Cassidy, J. & Shaver, P. (eds), Handbook of attachment: Theory, research, and clinical applications, The Guildford Press, New York.Google Scholar
Kosonen, M. (1994) ‘Sibling relationships for children in the care system’, Adoption & Fostering, Vol. 18, No. 3, 30–35.Google Scholar
Kosonen, M. (1996) ‘Maintaining sibling relationships: Neglected dimension in child care practice’, British Journal of Social Work, Vol. 26, No. 6, 809–922.Google Scholar
Kosonen, M. (1999) ‘Core and kin siblings: Foster children’s changing families’, in Mullender, A. (ed.), We are family: Sibling relationships in placement and beyond, British Agency for Adoption and Fostering, UK.Google Scholar
Lowe, N. & Murch, M. (2002) The plan for the child: Adoption or long term fostering, British Agencies for Adoption and Fostering, UK.Google Scholar
Mackey, S.K. (2003) ‘Attachment theory applied to adolescents’, in Erdman, P. & Caffery, T. (eds), Attachment and family systems: Conceptual, empirical, and therapeutic relatedness, Brunner-Routledge, New York.Google Scholar
Marshall, J. & Watt, P. (1999) Child behaviour problems: A literature review of its size and nature and prevention interventions, The Interagency Committee on Children’s Futures, Perth, WA.Google Scholar
McCain, M. & Mustard, J. (1999) Early years study report: Reversing the brain drain. Publications Ontario, Toronto, Canada.Google Scholar
Mullender, A. (ed.) (1999a) We are family: Sibling relationships in placement and beyond, British Agency for Adoption and Fostering, UK.Google Scholar
Mullender, A. (1999b) ‘Sketching in the background’, in Mullender, A. (ed), We are family: Sibling relationships in placement and beyond, British Agency for Adoption and Fostering, UK.Google Scholar
Mullender, A. (1999c) ‘Drawing out the messages for policy and practice’, in Mullender, A (ed), We are family: Sibling relationships in placement and beyond, British Agency for Adoption and Fostering, UK.Google Scholar
National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from their Families (1997) Bringing them home, HREOC, Canberra.Google Scholar
O’Neill, C. (2002) ‘Together or separate? Sibling placements: A review of the literature’, Children Australia, Vol 27, No 2.Google Scholar
Penzerro, R.M. & Lein, L. (1995) ‘Burning their bridges: Disordered attachment and foster care discharge’. Child Welfare League of America, Vol. 74, No. 2.Google Scholar
Poehlmann, J. & Fiese, B.H. (2001) ‘The interaction of maternal and infant vulnerabilities on developing attachment relationship’, Development and Psychopathology, Vol. 13, No. 2, 2–11.Google Scholar
Prevatt Goldstein, B. (1995) ‘Review on Phoenix, A. and Tizard, B.-Black, White or Mixed Race, Issues’, Social Work Education, Vol. 14, No. 2.Google Scholar
Prevatt Goldstein, B. (1999) ‘Black siblings: A relationship for life’, in Mullender, A. (ed.), We are family: Sibling relationships in placement and beyond, British Agency for Adoption and Fostering, UK.Google Scholar
Rolfe, S. (2004) Rethinking attachment for early childhood practice: Promoting security, autonomy and resilience in young children, Allen and Unwin, Melbourne, Victoria.Google Scholar
Selwyn, J. (1996) ‘Ascertaining children’s wishes and feelings in relations to adoption’, Adoption & Fostering, Vol. 20, No. 3.Google Scholar
Selwyn, J. (1999) ‘A for ever and ever family: Siblings’ views as represented in reports for adoption hearings, in Mullender, A. (ed.), We are family: Sibling relationships in placement and beyond, British Agency for Adoption and Fostering, UK.Google Scholar
Staff, I. & Fein, E. (1992) ‘Together or separate: A study of siblings in foster care’, Child Welfare, Vol. 71, No. 3.Google Scholar
Talbot, J. & McHale, J. (2003) ‘Family-level emotional climate and its impact on the flexibility of relationship representations’, in Erdman, P. & Caffery, T. (eds), Attachment and family systems: Conceptual, empirical, and therapeutic relatedness, Brunner-Routledge, New York.Google Scholar
Telethon Institute for Child Health Research (T1CHR) (2004) The health of Aboriginal children and young people, Vol. I, Telethon Institute for Child Health, Perth, WA.Google Scholar
Thoburn, J, (1998) ‘Psychological parenting and child placement: But we want to have our cake and eat it’, in Howe, D. (ed.), Attachment and loss in child and family social work, Avebury: Aldershot.Google Scholar
Thoburn, J. & Rowe, J. (1988) ‘A snapshot of permanent family placement’, Adoption & Fostering, Vol. 12, No. 3.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van Ijzendoom, M.H. & Sagi, A. (1999) ‘Cross-cultural patterns of attachment: universal and contextual dimensions’, in Cassidy, J. & Shaver, P. (eds), Handbook of attachment: Theory, research, and clinical applications. The Guildford Press, New York.Google Scholar
Vicary, D.A. & Tennant, J. (2005) Children as Decision Makers, 6th Biannual Conference on Children’s Participation and Decision Making, 7–10 July, Dunedin, New Zealand.Google Scholar
Vicary, D.A., Tennant, J., Santa Maria, J. & Wadley, S. (2005) ‘Children as decision makers’. Children Australia. Vol. 30, No. 4.Google Scholar
Wedge, P. (1999) ‘Foreword’, in Mullender, A. (ed.). We are family: Sibling relationships in placement and beyond, British Agency for Adoption and Fostering, UK.Google Scholar
Wedge, P. & Mantle, G. (1991) Sibling Croups and Social Work, Avebury, Aldershot.Google Scholar