Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-ph5wq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-29T15:16:18.034Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Professional Carer Experiences of Working with Young People in Specialist Care Placements in South Australia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2015

Damien Riggs*
Affiliation:
School of Social and Policy Studies, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia
Ryan Ogilvy
Affiliation:
School of Social and Policy Studies, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia
*
address for correspondence: Damien Riggs, School of Social and Policy Studies, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, South Australia, 5001. E-mail: damien.riggs@flinders.edu.au

Abstract

Despite the emphasis within Australian child protection upon family-based care as the preferred placement option, it has been increasingly recognised that some young people may be best served in specialist care placements, such as residential or therapeutic care. This paper presents a thematic analysis of 20 interviews undertaken with professional carers who, at the time, were working in a specialist care programme in South Australia known as Individual Packages of Care. The analysis suggests that three key issues were at stake for participants: (1) the impact of role conflict between engaging in caring relationships with young people and maintaining professional boundaries; (2) the impact of additional stakeholders (such as mental health professionals) upon the stability of the placement; and (3) the use of restraint as a form of behaviour management. The paper concludes by discussing the interesting relationship identified in the data between caring relationships and the use of restraint, and makes recommendations from the data for issues requiring further consideration with regard to specialist care placements.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). (2014). Child protection Australia 2012–2013. Canberra: AIHW.Google Scholar
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3 (2), 77101.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Day, A., Daffern, M., & Simmons, P. (2010). Use of restraint in residential care settings for children and young people. Psychiatry, psychology and law, 17 (2), 230244.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Delfabbro, P. H., & Osborn, A. (2005). Models of service for children in out-of-home care with significant emotional and behavioural difficulties. Developing Practice: The Child, Youth and Family Work Journal, 14, 1729.Google Scholar
Department of Communities. (2011). Specialist foster care review. Queensland: Department of Communities. Retrieved from https://www.communities.qld.gov.au/resources/childsafety/foster-care/sfc-literature-review-australian-programs-description.pdfGoogle Scholar
Gilbertson, R., Richardson, D., & Barber, J. G. (2005). The special youth carer program: An innovative program for at-risk adolescents in foster care. Child and Youth Care Forum, 34, 7589.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hillan, L. (2008). What happened to my family? The place of family in residential care. Developing Practice, 20, 813.Google Scholar
Layton, R. (2003). Our best investment: A state plan to protect and advance the interests of children. Government of South Australia. Retrieved from www.familesandcommunities.sa.gov.au/Google Scholar
McLean, S. (2011). Barriers to collaboration on behalf of children with challenging behaviours: a large qualitative study of five constituent groups. Child and Family Social Work, 17, 19.Google Scholar
McLean, S., Riggs, D. W., Kettler, L., & Delfabbro, P. (2013). Challenging behavior in out-of-home care: use of attachment ideas in practice. Child and Family Social Work, 18 (3), 243252.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Misca, G. (2014, 7 May). ‘She's more than a mother – she takes care of me’: Exploring the meaning of family for young people growing up in institutional care. Paper presented at the Annual British Psychological Society Conference, Birmingham, UK.Google Scholar
Mullighan, T. (2008). Commission of enquiry report: Children in State care. Adelaide: Commission of Inquiry South Australia, Office of the Commissioner. Retrieved from http://www.sa.gov.au/upload/franchise/Crime,%20justice%20and%20the%20law/Mullighan_Inquiry/CISC%20-%20Complete.pdfGoogle Scholar
Murray, M. M.Southerland, D.Farmer, E. M. & Ballentine, K. (2010) Enhancing and adapting treatment foster care: Lessons learned in trying to change practice. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 19, 393403.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ogilvy, R. & Riggs, D. W. (2014). Young people's experiences of receiving Individual Packages of Care in South Australia. Children Australia, 39, 4954.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Riggs, D. W., Augoustinos, M., & Delfabbro, P. H. (2009). The role of foster family belonging in recovery from child maltreatment. Australian Psychologist, 44, 166173.CrossRefGoogle Scholar