Strengthening relationships and connections for young people in therapeutic residential care

Investigators

Associate Professor Tim Moore (Institute of Child Protection Studies, Australian Catholic University) is part of a team led by Associate Professor Lynne McPherson with Professor Anne Graham, Dr Kathomi Gatwiri, Dr Antonia Canosa, Meaghan Vosz (Southern Cross University); Dr Donnah Anderson (Charles Sturt University); Professor Robbie Gilligan (Trinity College Dublin); Associate Professor Janise Mitchell (Centre for Excellence in Therapeutic Care, Australian Childhood Foundation). Associate Professor Stuart Barlo, an Aboriginal man from the Yuin nation from the far south coast of New South Wales, is providing consultancy, advice and guidance throughout the project.

Funding

Australian Research Council

Aims

This project seeks to understand the practices that help young people in therapeutic residential care form healthy relationships and a positive self-identity. It explores interpersonal and institutional factors that support or restrict the necessary conditions for fostering trust, strengthening identity, and building social connections.

Background

Young people in therapeutic residential care face unique challenges that can hinder their ability to form healthy relationships and a positive self-identity. These elements are essential to their overall safety and wellbeing. This large-scale, mixed-methods study, the first of its kind, aims to capture the voices of young people, staff, and managers within NSW therapeutic residential care settings to gain insights on current practices and identify areas for improvement.

Project details

The project is made up of four phases:

Phase 1: Policy and program analysis will help to understand how practices are cast in policy, practice frameworks and program guidelines, to better understand the ways that practices are enabled and constrained. Read the report on policy analysis here.

Phase 2: Qualitative research will hear from young people and staff about the practices that work to strengthen young people's connections and relationships, what helps and what gets in the way.

Phase 3: Quantitative research will use surveys of young people and staff to measure the association between practice and young peoples' recognition, positive social connections, safety and wellbeing.

Phase 4: Knowledge translation process will enable the development of evidence-informed policy guidance, practice tools and professional learning to support effective therapeutic residential care.

Research questions

• How does current policy construct relational practices within therapeutic residential care?
• What are the interpersonal and institutional practices that enable and constrain the experience of positive, trusting relationships within therapeutic residential care?
• What is the association between interpersonal and institutional practices in therapeutic residential care settings with young people's recognition, positive social connections, safety and wellbeing?
• What are the implications of this knowledge for developing evidence-informed policy guidance, practice tools and professional learning to support therapeutic residential care?

For more information, visit Southern Cross University Research.

Project timeline

Begun in 2023 and in progress

Contact

For more information contact Associate Professor Tim Moore.