Flying in the face of national community care policies, families of young children with severe disabilities continue to seek out-of-home placement The present paper explores the factors which influence families to care for their children at home or to place them out-of-home. Data for the present study were derived from a qualitative in-depth study of the everyday family life experiences of 167 families of young children with a disability and high support needs. One hundred and twenty-five (75%) of these families definitely did not want to place their child, 32 (19%) were undecided, and 10 (6%) were actively seeking or had already sought placement. Coded interview data were subjected to exploratory factor analysis to reveal eight factors influencing everyday family life. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed significant differences between the three groups of families on three out of the eight factors. The families' views about placing their child were compared across the three groups using text analysis techniques. Without exception, the primary desire of all families was to care for their child at home. However, when placement was considered a possibility, even if remote, the most frequently reported reasons were family 'survival' and mitigating circumstances. The finding that one-quarter of the families had already sought or were considering placement for children in this young age range is provocative. The implications of the findings for policy and practice are discussed.

No abstract

Family support services need to apply a child focus to improve the well-being of children in vulnerable families.

THIS PAPER PRESENTS THE findings from semi-structured interviews with six Indigenous Australian early childhood workers who were asked about how Indigenous families might be better supported to engage with early childhood education and care services. The workers identified three key barriers to family participation: transport difficulties, family embarrassment or ‘shame’, and community division. Facilitation of family engagement was argued to require an acceptance of individual families as well as the embracing of culture and the wider Indigenous community. In addition, the interviewees stressed the importance of ongoing and appropriate training and support for Indigenous early childhood professionals. This paper contributes to the growing body of research to inform practice in early childhood settings that serve families with complex support needs, and highlights the importance of cultural knowledge and respect.

The social worlds of school-aged children of mothers with intellectual disability are shaped by influences in the home that cannot be attributed exclusively to having a parent with intellectual disability. Significant adults provide an important support role and can be fulfilled by social service workers when a family-centred approach is applied.

No abstract

No abstract

Objective The aims of the present paper were to: (1) review the research literature that contributes to an understanding of the role of volunteer home visiting programs in supporting the health and well being of families with young children; and (2) propose a conceptual model outlining service pathways for families in need of additional support. Methods An integrative literature review method was used, with a mix of electronic and manual search methods for the period January 1980-January 2014. Forty-five studies were identified that met the inclusion criteria for review and were coded according to themes developed a priori. Results There is little formal research that has examined the effectiveness of volunteer home visiting programs for supporting family health and well being. The available research suggests that volunteer home visiting programs provide socioemotional support through structured social relationships; however, there is limited empirical evidence to explicate the factors that contribute to these outcomes. Conclusion In recognition of the importance of peer support for new parents, the not-for-profit sector has been involved in providing volunteer home visiting services to families for decades. However, the body of research to support this work is characterised by methodological limitations, and rigorous evidence is limited. What is clear anecdotally and qualitatively from the existing research is that parents who are in need of additional support value engagement with a community volunteer. These structured social relationships appear to fulfil a service need within the community, helping build bridges to support social networks, and thus complementing professional services and relationships. Overall, structured social relationships in the form of volunteer home visiting programs appear to provide an important pathway to support family health and well being. Findings from the existing research are mixed and often characterised by methodological limitations, pointing to a need for further rigorous research. What is known about the topic? Volunteer family support programs have been an important part of the service landscape for vulnerable families, both nationally and internationally, for many years. Anecdotal reports suggest that this is a valued form of support that increases a sense of community connectedness and breaks down barriers for families in accessing other community support services. What does this paper add? This paper proposes a model identifying broad service pathways impacting on family health and well being that takes into account the importance of structured social relationships and social connectedness. What are the implications for practitioners? The proposed model may encourage discussion by practitioners and organisations interested in models of support for families who are socially isolated and/or in need of assistance to access and engage with services within the community.