Chief Investigator: Dr Dandara Haag

Funding Amount: $99,789

Recipient: The University of Adelaide

Overview:

Out-of-home care (OOHC) experiences have significant implications on life outcomes. Early entry, while associated with longer-term stability, can lead to reduced family reunification. Later entries are also challenging, with older children often subject to longer periods of maltreatment, and a greater likelihood of restrictive placement experiences, including transitions from foster to residential care. Striking the optimal balance between early intervention and protection, family preservation/reunification and long-term, stable placements, and healthy outcomes is therefore of fundamental policy importance. Our proposal is to conduct Australia’s first whole-of-population analysis of complex care patterns and pathways, and associated health, development and welfare outcomes.