Outcomes in Kinship Care in Western Australia: what young people say

Objectives To share an analysis of reports by young people in out of home care that predict ‘safe and settled’ placements and the attainment of positive well-being outcomes. To share a comparison of responses from... [ view full abstract ]

Objectives

To share an analysis of reports by young people in out of home care that predict ‘safe and settled’ placements and the attainment of positive well-being outcomes.
To share a comparison of responses from Indigenous and non-Indigenous young people in kinship care, foster care and residential care
To show how the analysis informs strategies to shape and improve practice
To demonstrate how young people in kinship care are involved in decision making about their care combining reflective practice and new media technology

Method
Sharing the analysis of a sample of responses from over 600 young people informing the development of a model detailing predictors related to being ‘safe and settled’ and the link to wellbeing outcomes.
Sharing a comparison of responses from 2000 young people in kinship care, foster care and residential care, differences in their self-assessments and the implications for practice and strategic planning
Presenting the importance of involving young people in kinship care in decisions about their care; the approach in Western Australia using new media technology to engage and involve Indigenous and non-Indigenous young people; and the importance of reflective casework practice to help young people develop their understanding of their circumstances and enable them to contribute to their individual plans

Results
Participants will have had the opportunity to consider a model detailing predictors related to young people being ‘safe and settled’ and achieving wellbeing outcomes while in out of home care and the differences between kinship care and other placement types. The importance of involving young people in in kinship care in decisions about their care, and an approach in Western Australian will have been discussed.