Supporting family-based systems of care

Key PointsCaring for children who cannot remain with their parents, either as formal, paid caregivers or as kinship carers, places considerable strain on carers and families and requires skilled social work supportWhilst there are factors that seem to support the likely success of a placement, outcomes are related to the individual needs of the child and require careful consideration of issues such as contact with birth families, ongoing support for caregivers and accurate assessments of children’s needsKinship caregivers provide an important service to the state in terms of caring for children at risk. In general, however, kinship care is not as well supported as other systems of statutory care and kinship carers face the challenges of poverty, poor support and complex family dynamics.