McMahon, Anthony, and Reck, Lucinda (2003) Well-being for Indigenous foster children: alternative considerations for practice research. Children Australia, 28 (2). pp. 19-24.

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Abstract

In child protection, ‘status indicators’ typically describe the status of children in care in regard to reason for coming into care, length of time in care, racial or ethnic identity and whether specific bureaucratic milestones have been reached. With Indigenous children, status indicators are broadened to encompass explicit requirements arising from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle. Our contention is that this approach serves administrative decision-making and not the needs of Indigenous children.

We propose a different process for evaluating the effectiveness of foster care for Indigenous children that considers their well-being rather than their status as cases. This paper examines ‘well-being indicators’ for Indigenous children in care that emphasise foster family capacity to fulfil basic developmental, health, educational, social, cultural, spiritual, housing (Fisher, Pecora, Fluke, Hardin and Field, 1999) and economic needs. The paper concludes with recommendations for practice research on well-being indicators in Indigenous families.

Item ID:	1678
Item Type:	Article (Research - C1)
ISSN:	1035-0772
Keywords:	wellbeing, fostercare, Indigenous
Related URLs:	http://www.aihw.gov.au/closingthegap/res...
Date Deposited:	14 Sep 2007
FoR Codes:	16 STUDIES IN HUMAN SOCIETY > 1607 Social Work > 160701 Clinical Social Work Practice @ 100% 16 STUDIES IN HUMAN SOCIETY > 1607 Social Work > 160702 Counselling, Welfare and Community Services @ 0%
SEO Codes:	94 LAW, POLITICS AND COMMUNITY SERVICES > 9401 Community Service (excl. Work) > 940105 Childrens/Youth Services and Childcare @ 100%
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