Commentary: Therapeutic Reparenting: What Does it Take?

2011 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 109-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Van Doorn ◽  
Marilyn Connolly
Keyword(s):  
Foster Care ◽  
Human Services ◽  
Significant Benefit ◽  
Therapeutic Foster Care ◽  
Therapeutic Environment ◽  
Therapeutic Care ◽  
Outcomes For Children ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Therapeutic Model ◽  
Parenting Characteristics

The Circle Program is a therapeutic model of foster care in Victoria. Oz Child has delivered this model of foster care in partnership with The Australian Childhood Foundation and the Department of Human Services over the last four years. Therapeutic foster care is designed to assist children entering care to heal from the affects of trauma and abuse. A significant benefit of therapeutic care is the provision and emphasis on a supportive therapeutic environment for the child in everyday interactions with the carer. It is through the child's relationship with the carer that healing can begin. In order to provide such an environment carers are trained, assessed and accredited to have a working understanding of the impact of trauma and abuse, and are provided with tools and strategies to therapeutically re-parent these children. Carers are an integral part of the team and work alongside placement workers and clinicians to understand the impact of trauma and abuse. Together they develop strategies and interventions that are therapeutic and address the impact of trauma on all aspects of the child's development and wellbeing. While considering outcomes for children within a therapeutic model it is crucial to identify particular interpersonal and parenting characteristics held by carers. This commentary will consider the defining characteristics required to be a therapeutic foster carer.

“The Way All Foster Care Should Be”: The Experience of Therapeutic Foster Carers in the Victorian Circle Program

2014 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 211-215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margarita Frederico ◽  
Maureen Long ◽  
Patricia McNamara ◽  
Lynne McPherson
Keyword(s):  
Foster Care ◽  
Therapeutic Foster Care ◽  
Developmental Trauma ◽  
Child Relationship ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Therapeutic Perspective ◽  
The Way

Central to the success of therapeutic foster care (TFC) is the quality and stability of the relationship between the child and carer. This key relationship may, from a therapeutic perspective, facilitate healing by addressing the impact of complex developmental trauma experienced by the child who has been placed in care. Stability of the carer–child relationship is critical in this context. Therapeutic carers have been shown to be significantly more likely to remain in the role of carer than their counterparts in mainstream foster care. The research reported on in this paper draws upon findings from an evaluation of a TFC programme and gives voice to the Circle Carers, presenting the components of TFC which are important to them. The paper commences with the story of Ruby in TFC as told by a carer. The focus then becomes a detailed exploration of the experience of carers and their capacity to care. Implications for practice are identified.

Improving outcomes for children in out-of-home care: the role of therapeutic foster care

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 1064-1074 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margarita Frederico ◽  
Maureen Long ◽  
Patricia McNamara ◽  
Lynne McPherson ◽  
Richard Rose
Keyword(s):  
Foster Care ◽  
Home Care ◽  
Therapeutic Foster Care ◽  
Out Of Home Care ◽  
Outcomes For Children

scholarly journals The impact of COVID-19 on antipsychotic prescriptions for patients with schizophrenia in Australia

2021 ◽  
pp. 000486742110257
Author(s):  
Steve Kisely ◽  
Dante Dangelo-Kemp ◽  
Mark Taylor ◽  
Dennis Liu ◽  
Simon Graham ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Services ◽  
Primary Outcome ◽  
Medical Consultation ◽  
Australian Government ◽  
Provider Type ◽  
Study Population ◽  
Secondary Objective ◽  
Long Acting ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme

Objective: To assess the impact, in the Australian setting, of the COVID-19 lockdown on antipsychotic supplies for patients with schizophrenia following a prescription from a new medical consultation when compared to the same periods in the previous 4 years. A secondary objective was to assess the volume of all antipsychotic supplies, from new and repeat prescriptions, over these same periods. Methods: A retrospective pharmaceutical claims database study was undertaken, using the Department of Human Services Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme 10% sample. The study population included all adult patients with three or more supplies of oral or long-acting injectable antipsychotics for the treatment of schizophrenia at any time between 1 June 2015 and 31 May 2020. The primary outcome compared volumes of dispensed antipsychotics from new prescriptions (which require a medical consultation) between 1 April and 31 May each year from 2016 to 2020. This was to analyse the period during which the Australian Government imposed a lockdown due to COVID-19 (April to May 2020) when compared the same periods in previous years. Results: There was a small (5.7%) reduction in the number of antipsychotics dispensed from new prescriptions requiring a consultation, from 15,244 to 14,372, between April and May 2019 and the same period in 2020, respectively. However, this reduction was not statistically significant ( p = 0.75) after adjusting for treatment class, age, gender, location and provider type. Conclusion: The COVID-19 restrictions during April and May 2020 had no significant impact on the volume of antipsychotics dispensed from new prescriptions for patients with schizophrenia when compared to the volume of antipsychotics dispensed from new prescriptions during the same period in previous years.

Reading with Angels: Improving Literacy among Children in Foster Care

2013 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 54-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth Knight
Keyword(s):  
Foster Care ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Literacy Outcomes ◽  
Children In Foster Care ◽  
Love Of Learning ◽  
Outcomes For Children ◽  
Children's Literacy ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Children In Care

The Pyjama Foundation is an Australian charity working to improve the literacy and numeracy outcomes for children in foster care. The foundation delivers the Pyjama Foundation Love of Learning programme, a learning-based mentoring programme in which volunteer ‘Pyjama Angels’ visit children in care each week to read books, play games and engage in other learning-based activities.This study surveyed 121 Love of Learning mentors (‘Pyjama Angels’) to assess their perceptions of the relationships they had developed with the children they mentored and of the children's improvement in their literacy skills, a key aim of the programme.The statistical data analysis based on the structural equation modelling and multiple regression approach showed that several factors had a statistically significant impact on the mentors’ perceptions of the children's improvement in literacy skills: relationship with the child, child's engagement and tenure in the programme, and frequency of meetings. Age and gender of the mentors were not found to have a statistically significant impact on mentors’ perceptions of this improvement, while mentors’ perceptions of their relationship with the children was the most important factor influencing their perceptions of improvement in literacy skills. The study did not include objective measures of the children's literacy outcomes, so its results are limited to the mentors’ perceptions. However, this study offers valuable insights for mentoring programmes working with children living in foster care.

Therapeutically Supporting Children to Recover from the Impact of Family Violence

2017 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 137-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olivia Powell ◽  
Kathy Morrison
Keyword(s):  
Family Violence ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Initial Response ◽  
Client Population ◽  
Evidence Based Treatments ◽  
Trauma Informed ◽  
Specific Practice ◽  
Outcomes For Children ◽  
Systems Framework ◽  
The Impact

Family violence (also referred to as Domestic Violence and Intimate Partner Violence) describes violence that occurs within an intimate relationship, whether a current or former partner. Children can experience a range of abuses (emotional, physical, sexual and neglect) within the context of family violence, and harm is cumulative and may present as complex trauma. This paper is based on a practice presentation delivered at the International Childhood Trauma Conference in Melbourne (Australia) in June 2016. The purpose of this paper is to increase awareness of the impacts for children who have experienced family violence, to enhance understanding of the mechanisms that contribute to their trauma presentation, and to highlight the specific practice issues and considerations in providing therapeutic support to this client population, with the ultimate aim of improving diagnostic and treatment outcomes for children impacted by family violence. Sufficient safety and stability are required for children to experience therapeutic change, and if family violence is current, the initial response needs to be protective. Identification of family violence should prompt practitioners to use trauma-informed assessment and trauma-focused evidence-based treatments within a family therapy and systems framework. Family violence is complex and there are many barriers to treatment and practice considerations. Expansion of practitioner knowledge and skills in family violence trauma will enhance outcomes for children who have experienced family violence.

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