Supporting young people who spend time away from out-of-home care placement

Investigators

Dr Mary Ann Powell, Associate Professor Tim Moore, Lottie Harris (Institution for Child Protection Studies)

Funding

ACT Community Services Directorate

Aims

• Explore the reasons young people in out-of-home care choose to leave their placements.
• Identify their needs and expectations during these periods.
• Develop recommendations to improve support from statutory child protection and non-government services.

Background

Young people in out-of-home care are highly vulnerable and may face challenges such as mental health issues, housing instability, and exploitation. Spending time away from authorised placements (sometimes known as 'self-placing') exacerbates these risks due to temporary and insecure living arrangements. The lack of standard definitions and inconsistent reporting across jurisdictions hinders understanding and intervention. This study seeks to address these gaps.

Project details

The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Government Community Services Directorate engaged the Institute of Child Protection Studies to explore the needs and lived experiences of young people in the ACT who spend time away from out-of-home care placement.

Method

1. Project establishment: Define project scope, establish an advisory group, develop recruitment strategies, gain approvals.
2. Literature review: Conduct a systematic review of Australian and international literature on self-placing young people and support mechanisms.
3. Data collection: Conduct interviews with young people, their support persons and relevant stakeholders to understand young people's circumstances and needs; Hold focus groups with young participants to validate findings and prioritize themes.
4. Workshops: Facilitated discussions with child protection service and other stakeholders to explore practical implications and refine recommendations.

Projected community impact

We hope that this project will lead to a number of important outcomes, including a comprehensive understanding of the factors driving young people to spend time away from their placement, and development of tailored support mechanisms for when they are away. In the long-term it may lead to enhanced safety, wellbeing, and support for young people in out-of-home care.

Publications

Expected outputs include journal articles and recommendations for practice improvements to better meet the needs of self-placing youth.

Project timeline

Began in 2023 and in progress

Contact

For more information contact: icps@acu.edu.au