File(s) not publicly available
Foster care from a historical perspective
Foster care has been available in Australia for almost 150 years. Carers have long been recognised as
“the ultimate volunteers” who care for the most traumatised, emotionally disturbed children in the nation.
Given that they provide the foundation stone of the child protection system, one might expect carers to
be supported and valued. Numerous studies have shown otherwise. Warning signs over the years have
been ignored by child welfare authorities resulting in carers leaving the service faster than they could
be recruited and the most needy young children being placed in caravan parks, cheap motels and group
homes supervised by occasional, inadequately trained, generalist carers employed on seven hour contracts
by agencies.
History
Volume
40Issue
04Start Page
316End Page
326Number of Pages
11eISSN
2049-7776ISSN
1035-0772Publisher
Cambridge University Press, UKPublisher DOI
Peer Reviewed
- Yes
Open Access
- No
Cultural Warning
This research output may contain the names and images of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people now deceased. We apologize for any distress that may occur.External Author Affiliations
Monash University; University of South AustraliaEra Eligible
- Yes