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Australian Childhood Foundation WA Foster Care Program Evaluation: Phase 1 Findings and Recommendations363.54 kB
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Report
Australian Childhood Foundation WA Foster Care Program Evaluation: Phase 1 Findings and Recommendations
Southern Cross University
2025
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25918/report.589
Appears in Recent Faculty of Education Publications
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Abstract
Australian Childhood Foundation is a national not-for-profit organisation that has been working with children and young people affected by trauma, abuse, exploitation and neglect since 1986. For over 25 years, the Foundation has been developing and delivering specialist therapeutic foster care programs in partnership with more than 30 out-of-home care service providers across Australia.
Programs such as the Treatment and Care for Kids (TrACK) program, which commenced in 2002, and the Circle Program in Victoria have been delivered in partnership with foster care agencies and have contributed to the national evidence base for therapeutic approaches to foster and kinship care. These programs demonstrated that when carers are resourced with therapeutic knowledge and wraparound support, children experience greater relational stability and meaningful recovery.
In 2024, the Foundation commenced its first direct delivery of foster care services. Through a recommissioning process led by the Department of Communities in Western Australia, it was awarded a contract to deliver an integrated therapeutic foster care program that brings together therapeutic care, carer recruitment and assessment, placement matching, care coordination, and case management within a single service.
This represents a significant shift from its previous role as a therapeutic foster care partner to a therapeutic foster care provider.
The Centre for Children and Young People at Southern Cross University was commissioned to conduct an independent evaluation of the program’s first 18 months of implementation. The evaluation was led by Professor Lynne McPherson, Dr Catharine Simmons, and A/Professor Emily Hindman.
This is a Phase 1 formative evaluation. It examines whether the program was implemented as intended, how it was experienced by carers, staff and stakeholders, and what factors supported or challenged early implementation. It does not yet measure longer-term outcomes for children and young people. A Phase 2 summative evaluation will follow.
The research team reviewed program documentation, analysed de-identified intake data for 36 children and young people, conducted a comprehensive literature review and held thirteen in-depth focus group discussions.
Details
- Title
- Australian Childhood Foundation WA Foster Care Program Evaluation: Phase 1 Findings and Recommendations
- Creators
- Lynne McPherson - Southern Cross University, Social WorkCatharine Simmons - Southern Cross University, Faculty of EducationEmily Amanda Hindman - Southern Cross University, Human Sciences
- Publisher
- Southern Cross University
- Number of pages
- 12
- Identifiers
- 991013390251502368
- Copyright
- This summary is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. This means you can freely make copies and share it in its current form, providing you reference the CCYP @SCU.
- Academic Unit
- Centre for Children and Young People; Human Sciences; Faculty of Education; Social Work; Faculty of Health
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Report