contact between, and placement of siblings in out-of-home care

Joseph J. McDowall © 2014

ACWA 2014: Children in a Changing World, Sydney, August 18 – 20, 2014

Contact between, and Placement of Siblings in Out-of-Home Care

Dr Joseph J. McDowallExecutive Director (Research)

CREATE Foundation

Visiting FellowSchool of Public Health and Social Work

Queensland University of Technology



How did project develop?

Sibling Placement:

Grew out of findings relating to Family Contact in CREATE’s 2013 Report Card



Mean frequency of Contact ratings with family members

Weekly

Not at all



% CYP having designated level of contact with family members



Sibling Placements

Together: All siblings in care located in the same placement

Splintered: Child or young person placed with at least one sibling

Split: Child or young person separated from siblings who are located in other placements

(Hegar & Rosenthal, 2011)

Alone: Child or young person has siblings but is the only family member in care



National Average

% CYP in Split placements



% CYP in Split placements

National Average



Department of Social ServicesState and Territory Governments &

NGOs 1160 children and young people in OOHC surveyed

Concentrated on Sibling Placement

Stratified by Age, Sex, Culture, and Care Type as well as Jurisdictions*

* (WA Department for Child Protection and Family Support subsequently requested that the data from children and young people in that state not be presented in this report)

Through Collaboration with:



Preferred outcomes:

Where possible and appropriate, keep siblings Together or in Splintered placements;

If not possible, ensure that contact between siblings is facilitated if desired by child or young person.

Extensive literature review



Children and Young Persons’ Questions• Demographics

• Care history

• Do you live with any of your brothers or sisters from your birth family?

• Are any of your brothers or sisters from your birth family living in care but not with you?

• Family contact



Children and Young Persons’ Survey• Governments assisted in locating interested

participants

• About half were randomly selected from care

population

• Others were randomly selected from members of

clubCREATE

• Data were collected through online survey or through structured interviews conducted face-to-face or by telephone



Distribution of Participants by Age within the Australian Jurisdictions



Distribution of Participants by Sex, Culture, and Care Type



Caseworker Survey• Online survey• Respondents given the opportunity to record

information about a maximum of 20 cases:o Time in careo Time as caseworkero Amount of contact per yearo Number of siblingso Number of siblings in careo Number of siblings in same placement



Caseworker Questions• Awareness of sibling placement policy?

• What personal principles followed?

• How successful in placing siblings together?

• What has made the placing of siblings together

difficult?

• How important is it to help siblings maintain contact?

• How involved in maintaining contact?

• How difficult has it been to arrange contact?



Caseworker Survey

Number of cases sampled: 1022 Govt: 47%; NGO: 53%



ACT (n = 17)

NSW (n = 236)

NT (n = 54)

QLD (n = 200)

SA (n = 78)

TAS (n = 120)

VIC (n = 109)

WA (n = 55)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

29

34

43

28

18 16

32 36

29

36

28

41

29

45

25

31

41

29 30 32

53

39 43

33

Together Splintered Split

Jurisdiction

Pe

rce

nta

ge

Mean frequency of contact ratings with family members

% Together, Splintered, and Split sibling placements over Jurisdictions (Children and Young People)



ACT (n = 26)

NSW (n = 277)

NT (n = 48)

QLD (n = 40)

SA (n = 43)

TAS (n = 144)

VIC (n = 39)

WA (n = 53)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

46

38

46

3328

43

51

45

15

2925

35

14

22

8

3638

3329

33

58

35

41

19


Jurisdiction

Pe

rce

nta

ge

% Together, Splintered, and Split sibling placements over Jurisdictions (Caseworkers)



ACT (n = 17)

NSW (n = 236)

NT (n = 54)

QLD (n = 200)

SA (n = 78)

TAS (n = 120)

VIC (n = 109)

WA (n = 55)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

29

34

43

28

18 16

32

36

29

36

28

41

29

45

25

31

41

29 30 32

53

39 43

33


Jurisdiction

Pe

rce

nta

ge

Mean frequency of contact ratings with family members

% Together, Splintered, and Split sibling placements over Jurisdictions (Children and Young People and

Caseworkers [coloured])

46

38

46

33

28

43

51

45

15

2925

35

14

22

8

3638

33

2933

58

35

41

19



% Together, Splintered, and Split sibling placements over Age Groups (Children and Young People)

8–9 (n = 136) 10–14 (n = 497) 15–17 (n = 236)0

10

20

30

40

50

60

28 31

26

50

35

27 22

34

47


Age

Pe

rce

nta

ge



% Together, Splintered, and Split sibling placements over Age Groups (Caseworkers)

8–9 (n = 89) 10–14 (n = 181) 15–17 (n = 139)0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

54

27 2427

33

1719

41

58


Age (Years)

Pe

rce

nta

ge



% Together, Splintered, and Split sibling placements over Age Groups (Children and Young People and


8–9 (n = 136) 10–14 (n = 497) 15–17 (n = 236)0

10

20

30

40

50

60

28 31

26

50

35

27 22

34

47


Age

Pe

rce

nta

ge

54

27 2427

33

1719

41

58



% Together, Splintered, and Split sibling placements over Cultural Groups (Children and Young People)

Indigenous (n = 264)

AngloAus (n = 549) Other (n = 56)0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

29 2834

41

34

23

30

3843


Culture

Pe

rce

nta

ge



% Together, Splintered, and Split sibling placements over Cultural Groups (Caseworkers)



10

20

30

40

50

60

70

48

33

58

2530

3

27

38 38


Culture

Pe

rce

nta

ge



% Together, Splintered, and Split sibling placements over Cultural Groups (Children and Young People and




10

20

30

40

50

60

70

29 2834

41

34

23

30

3843


Culture

Pe

rce

nta

ge 48

33

58

2530

3

27

38 38



Foster (n = 482)

Kinship (n = 228)

Resi (n = 90) Permnt (n = 37)

Other (n = 32)0

10

20

30

40

50

60

23

43

27

35

19

41

34

19 22

25

36

23

54

43

56


Care Type

Pe

rce

nta

ge

% Together, Splintered, and Split sibling placements over Care Type

(Children and Young People)



% Together, Splintered, and Split sibling placements over Care Type (Caseworkers)

Foster (n = 398)

Kinship (n = 189)

Residential (n = 64)

Other (n = 12)0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

36

54

27

42

2724

20

0

37

22

5358


Care Type

Pe

rce

nta

ge



Foster (n = 482)

Kinship (n = 228)

Resi (n = 90) Permnt (n = 37)

Other (n = 32)0

10

20

30

40

50

60

23

43

27

35

19

41

34

19 22

25

36

23

54

43

56


Care Type

Pe

rce

nta

ge

% Together, Splintered, and Split sibling placements over Care Type

(Children and Young People and Caseworkers [coloured])

36

54

27

42

2724

20

0

37

22

53

58



% Together, Splintered, and Split sibling placements over Disability


No Disability (n = 677) Disability (n = 127)0

10

20

30

40

50

60

30 26

37

29 33

45


Disability

Pe

rce

nta

ge



Mother Father Grandparents Relatives1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Together Splintered Split Alone

Family Member

Fre

qu

en

cy o

f C

on

tact

Together, Splintered, Split, and Alone placement and Family Contact


Weekly

Not at all



Together (n = 275)

Splintered (n = 400)

Split (n = 437) Alone (n = 255)0

10

20

30

40

24

17 19 20

3633

3032

0

79

14

2123 23 24

19

25 25

20

Mother Father Siblings Grandparents Relatives

Sibling Placement Condition

Pe

rce

nta

ge

% Together, Splintered, Split, and Alone placements having NO Contact with Family Member (not living with)



Together Splintered Split Alone1

2

3

4

5

6

Carer Caseworker

Sibling Placement Condition

Leve

l o

f S

up

po

rt

Carers’ and Caseworkers’ support for maintaining family contact in Together, Splintered, Split, and Alone

placements



Comments from Children and Young People regarding support for maintaining contact

“Phoning my mum, taking me to see her, picking her up so we can have time together. Phoning my sister and her carer so I can see her.” (Male, 13 years) “Like they tell me reasons why I should keep in touch with my family, like my family is important sort of thing.” (Female, 12 years)

“Not very much support because my caseworkers are always changing and I have hardly any contact with them.” (Female, 16 years)



Overall findings %

Quite or Very connected 33

Somewhat or Reasonably connected 36

Little or No connection 31

Cultural Support Plan 12

Sibling Placement with Indigenous Children and Young People (n = 329)

• No significant differences in level of connectedness with culture based on sibling placement condition (Together, Splintered, or Split)



How successful have you been in ensuring that children and young people in your care are placed together with siblings?

Caseworker Survey

Outcome %

Quite or Very Successful 17

Little or No Success 30



What have you been able to do, if anything, to help place siblings from one family together? (105 comments)

Caseworker Survey

Action%

SupportRecruit, assess, and encourage suitable carers 24Advocate to decision makers for Together/Splintered placements

24

Provide resources to support carers who place large groups

21

Use kinship care for larger groups 9Place close geographically if not together 3



Factor % Support

Carer capacity to handle the family unit both emotionally and physically

35

Behavioural problems (e.g., sibling conflict; externalizing behaviour)

22

Size of family unit 18Special needs (e.g., disabilities) 16Parental issues (e.g., siblings with different fathers) 5Bureaucracy (e.g., siblings placed in different jurisdictions) 5

Caseworker SurveyWhat factors, if any, have made it difficult to place all siblings from one family together? (128 comments)



Concept

% Caseworkers giving ratings

High(Quite or Very)

Low(Little or None)

Importance 97 0

Involvement 70 7

Difficulty 20 27

Caseworker Survey

Ratings of Importance, Involvement, and Difficulty of organizing Sibling Contact



Caseworker Survey

“When removing children from family it is an extremely traumatising time for young people and if we are able to reduce any additional trauma by placing them with familiar people who are siblings then I will advocate for this strongly.” (NT Caseworker)

“Advocate for improved support for foster carers, to enable more potential carers to be recruited who could possible care for sibling group.” (VIC Caseworker)



Caseworker Survey

“Sibling contact is not prioritised enough. Siblings are the longest relationship most CYP will have and we have a duty to assist in maintaining and sustaining those relationships. Siblings may be the most crucial support to each other post 18.” (NSW Caseworker)



Questions?

contact between, and placement of siblings in out-of-home care

Documents

changing world

family contact joseph

family members joseph

young people

family membersweeklynot

family support

placement of siblings

birth family living