AIM:This study investigated the perceived implications of caring on siblings and parents under COVID-19 lockdown in Australia. METHOD:Eighty parent/guardians participated. Dependent variables: care implications on siblings; and parent distress. Independent variables: sibling behavior; relationships; and family functioning. Correlation and multiple regression explored relationships. RESULTS:Sibling wellbeing was associated with emotional functioning (r = .41, p < .05), hyperactivity (r = .42, p < .01) and family functioning (r = .38, p < .01). Parental distress was associated with sibling's companionship (r = .50, p < .01), empathy (r = .33, p < .01), and behavioral difficulties. Parent distress was significantly predicted by both sibling's protective factors (sibling companionship and empathy and prosocial behavior) r = .51, F(3,76) =8.71, p < .001, accounting for 26% of the total variance, and risk factors (problem behaviors, impact of caring), R = .51, F(4,75) =6.58, p < .001, accounting for 26% of the total variance. The psychosocial impact on siblings was significantly predicted by sibling behavior problems, satisfaction with family functioning and parent distress, F(5,79) = 5.57, p < .001, and explained 22.5% of the variance. CONCLUSION:Implications for practitioners include consideration of the importance of protective factors such as emotional self-control and satisfaction with family functioning for siblings, and sibling companionship, empathy and the siblings' behavior on parental distress, among families raising children with disabilities.

Abstract Residential care in Australia serves a small but highly complex group of young people whose experiences of instability, trauma, and disconnection often limit their sense of being loved, respected, and valued. This article applies Honneth’s recognition theory to better understand these experiences and identify pathways for strengthening care. Drawing on interviews with thirty-eight young people in therapeutic residential care in New South Wales, it examines how everyday practices shape experiences across Honneth’s three dimensions of recognition: love, rights, and solidarity. Participants identified caring and consistent relationships, trust, genuine worker interest, opportunities to exercise agency, decision-making participation, and positive peer and community connections as central to feeling seen and valued. However, placement instability, restrictive rules, inconsistent decisions, and institutional constraints undermined recognition and reinforced stigma and isolation. Integrating participant accounts with Häkli and colleagues’ concept of ‘positive recognition’, the article reveals that recognition emerges through the interplay of relational practices and organizational environments. Findings demonstrate that recognition operates at both systemic and interpersonal levels. Strengthening relational practice, enabling participation, and opening up recognition-supportive contexts are essential for improving young people’s wellbeing, identity formation, and experiences of safety and belonging in residential care.

Sex and relationship education (SRE) is a key to promoting young people's sexual health and relationship skills development, yet many programmes do not adequately meet the needs of young survivors of sexual abuse or intimate partner violence who face heightened risks of re-victimisation. Fourteen young people participated in interviews. They were recruited through sexual assault and survivor services, had each experienced child sexual abuse or intimate partner violence, and self-selected to join the study. Drawing on data from their interviews, this paper explores how SRE can be strengthened to become more survivor-aware and trauma-informed. We identify six principles for designing SRE that might better respond to the needs of survivors of child maltreatment: (1) safe and affirming learning environments; (2) relationship-based practice; (3) critical thinking and reflection; (4) empowerment and choice; (5) content grounded in real-world experiences; and (6) clear pathways to support. Drawing on our findings, we suggest that survivor-aware SRE requires an ongoing process of quality improvement based on feedback from young people, especially those with lived experience of childhood abuse and trauma, so that SRE supports the prevention of further victimisation while also enabling understanding and agency, and encouraging help-seeking and pathways to healing and recovery.

BACKGROUND:First Nations children and young people are disproportionately represented in residential care in Australia. This overrepresentation is a direct consequence of the enduring legacy of colonialism and assimilation policies that have fractured Indigenous families and communities. OBJECTIVE:This article examines the lived experiences of First Nations young people living in Therapeutic Residential Care (TRC) settings, exploring what supports their wellbeing and what constrains it. PARTICIPANTS:Sixteen First Nations young people aged 12-18 living in TRC settings across New South Wales, Australia. METHODS:Using thematic analysis informed by Critical Race Theory, the study privileges the voices of young people, positioning them as knowledge-holders whose insights are too often marginalised or excluded from policy discourse. RESULTS:Participants identified key enablers of wellbeing, including relational stability, cultural affirmation, and opportunities for autonomy and growth. Constraints included frequent relocations, disempowering routines, fractured identity, and cultural disconnection. Themes of systemic racism and the need for cultural safety emerged strongly. Young people articulated both what the system must stop doing (e.g., disempowering practices) and what it must do more of (e.g., honoring relationships, embedding cultural safety, and enabling agency). CONCLUSIONS:The study highlights the urgent need for structural reform in TRC, grounded in Indigenous perspectives and relational accountability. Elevating the lived expertise of First Nations young people is essential to creating culturally safe, empowering care environments.

Young people living in therapeutic residential care face major challenges that can prevent them from forming healthy relationships and connections within the community, which are critical building blocks for their wellbeing and safety. To address these challenges, Australia has introduced 'therapeutic residential care' (TRC) models in a number of states and territories. TRC in Australia is designed to respond to high levels of complexity of need, for those young people who are unable to live in a home-based care arrangement. This research sought to explore whether and how relational practices in TRC enable the experience of positive, trusting relationships for young people. Young interviewees between the ages of 12 and 18 years (N = 38) reported experiencing trust when staff members genuinely invested time in their wellbeing, demonstrated care and respect, and made them feel valued. Conversely the lack of these practices and/or particular organisational and systemic conditions were often considered barriers that could lead to 'misrecognition.' Drawing directly from the lived experience as recounted by the young people currently living in residential care, the researchers conceptualise and introduce a new dimension of relational practice in residential care settings.

This qualitative study examines the aspirations, motivations and support needs of 15 young parents in South Australia with experiences of out-of-home care (OOHC) or homelessness. Most participants aimed to delay parenting to achieve financial stability, education and personal development, but faced unplanned pregnancies due to inadequate access to sexual health education and contraception. The study emphasises the importance of trauma-informed, strengths-based approaches, highlighting the need for stable housing, mental health services, and flexible education and employment opportunities. Participants valued peer-led programmes and inclusive policies that recognise their lived experiences. The findings underscore the resilience of these younger parents and the need for targeted interventions to break cycles of adversity. This research contributes to the evidence base for policies that empower young people in care and homelessness systems, fostering better long-term outcomes for them and their children. This study underscores the critical need for trauma-informed, strengths-based interventions that address the unique challenges faced by young parents transitioning from OOHC or homelessness. By informing policies focused on housing stability, tailored education and inclusive support systems, these findings aim to empower young people to break cycles of adversity and achieve long-term positive outcomes.

Family members may be impacted by complex care requirements around childhood disability, although little research provides guidance on the changing needs of families under unexpected circumstances. This study investigated parents' experiences and reports of the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns in Australia on family members in families raising a child with a disability and at least one other child. This study focused on parents' perspectives of their own, their child without disability and overall family experiences. This mixed-methods study included measures of the impact on siblings, parent distress and four open-ended questions about family impacts, from parents' perspectives. Thematic analysis guided qualitative data analysis. Eighty parents/carers participated. Parents/caregivers reported high distress and that siblings increased their participation in direct caregiving and household tasks but received minimal educational support. Findings revealed challenging impacts on all family members, changes to relationships within the family and impacts on family functioning. Overall, COVID-19 lockdowns impacted family ecology and well-being for parents and siblings. This study recommends that families raising children with disabilities and other children need more support and individualized accommodations for each family member, especially siblings, when the family is impacted by extreme service disruption and multi-system changes as occurred over the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns.

Child protection systems in Australia and elsewhere are increasingly concerned about the safety and wellbeing of children and young people during time spent away from their out-of-home care (OOHC) placements without permission from their workers or carers. To better understand the nature of existing literature, we conducted a scoping review to identify the characteristics of children and young people who ‘self-place’, the reasons for them spending time away and their needs and experiences during such periods. Our review covered international academic and grey literature written in English and published between 2013–2023. A total of 24 peer reviewed studies and seven grey literature reports were included in the sample.The findings reveal that young people often spend unauthorised time away from their placement seeking safety, stability, connection and belonging and autonomy – needs which they believe are often compromised during their time in care.This paper contributes to understanding the needs and experiences of young people who spend unauthorised time away from their designated placement, while pointing to several systemic inadequacies that influence their decisions to leave and the types of response they receive while away. Challenging the simplistic ‘push-pull’ narrative, we suggest that spending time away from placement is ultimately a strategy utilised by young people to get their needs met and is often an act of resistance against a system that exerts control over their lives.The review highlights the importance of practices that improve young people’s experiences while in care, thus reducing their felt need to spend time away. It also advocates for a better understanding of the needs and experiences of young people whilst away and a consistency of service offerings to better meet their needs. Since literature recognises the value of engaging young people in designing and shaping the nature of research and its focus, further youth-informed studies are required to better understand their experiences.

ABSTRACTIt is increasingly recognised by global research that extending out‐of‐home care (OOHC) until at least 21 years of age is the policy reform most likely to advance improved outcomes for care leavers. In recent years, all eight Australian jurisdictions (States and Territories) have introduced forms of extended care programs. Yet, major variations remain between these jurisdictions in terms of the placement types covered, the levels of support and funding, and the terms and language used to describe their programs. This paper maps the existing policy developments in each jurisdiction and the level of program supports provided to care leavers aged 18–21 years. For each jurisdiction, we establish extended care eligibility and coverage, funding and adequacy, and the key terminology used. Our discussion of the commonalities and differences between the jurisdictions suggests that some sub‐groups of care leavers may need additional and specialised forms of support. They include most notably those exiting residential care and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander care leavers.

The substance abuse issues of parents invariably negatively affect their children. Parental substance abuse can impact the family's level of connectedness, its ability to cope with adversity, and its capacity to provide the resources and protections which help children grow and develop. Often characterized by chaos and instability, the parent–child relationship can be problematic. Coupled with coalescing poverty, social isolation, and domestic violence, substance misuse can have long‐term consequences for children's health, well‐being, behavior, participation in education, and adolescent substance use. They are often at high risk of child abuse and neglect.

Childhood maltreatment can have profound and lasting impacts on survivors, often necessitating a raft of therapeutic and trauma-informed services. In recent studies, young survivors have highlighted the potential for sexual and relationship education (SRE) to provide young people opportunities to make sense of and seek support related to their maltreatment but have reflected that their experiences of SRE are rarely responsive to their needs. Given that many are not able to access SRE at school, they have argued for targeted programmes to be tailored to their needs. This systematic review explores what young people who have experienced maltreatment want and need from SRE in non-school settings. Drawing on seven research papers published between 2000 and 2023, where young survivors were engaged directly in qualitative studies, the paper identifies key considerations for creating trauma and survivor-informed SRE. Findings emphasise the importance of universal SRE programmes in acknowledging the link between childhood maltreatment and risk behaviours, accommodating survivors' unique experiences and educational needs in SRE design, and addressing their heightened vulnerability to future harm. It advocates for more targeted and intensive programmes that are accessible to young survivors at key points while linking them up to services to help them reclaim their sexualities. Moreover, the study advocates for a nuanced understanding of young survivors' resilience and the need for sensitivity when facilitating trauma-informed programmes. It stresses the value of working with survivors to shape SRE and the ways that they would like to play a role as peer educators and advocates.

Background: Child sexual abuse and maltreatment are preventable issues, but there is limited attention given to empowering children and young people to actively contribute to prevention efforts. Objective: This study, funded by the Tasmanian Commission of Inquiry, aimed to understand children’s experiences of safety in government-funded services. Participants and settings: The study involved 59 participants, including children and young people who spent time in various institutional settings like schools, out-of-home care, youth detention and hospitals. Methods: Through one-on-one interviews and focus groups, the research aimed to capture the perspectives of children and young people regarding safety, how they identify and communicate concerns and what they need from adults. Results: Findings highlighted that children perceive safety differently from adults, emphasising the crucial role of trusted allies who will believe and act upon their concerns. Participants stressed the importance of having appropriate language to express worries and called for adults and organisations to take their concerns seriously. Conclusions: While recognising that children should not bear sole responsibility for preventing child abuse, the study underscores their desire to collaborate with adults in developing child-informed strategies. The paper emphasises the need for adults and organisations to form alliances with children, removing barriers that restrict children from expressing themselves and adults from responding to the worries and concerns of children. Ultimately, this research advocates for a collaborative approach where both children and adults work together to ensure that preventative strategies align with the specific needs of children and young people.

Therapeutic residential care (TRC) is a mode of delivering out-of-home care (OOHC) that can help meet the needs of some of Australia's most vulnerable young people and their families. TRC programmes aim to support young people to develop positive relationship experiences in a safe and stable environment. Given that TRC is a relatively new model of intervention, to date, the alignment between its aspirational aims and the existing and evolving policy environment in which it is located has not been analysed in any depth. This paper reports on a national policy analysis exploring how TRC is constructed in policy documents. One hundred and thirty-two relevant policy documents were analysed to identify the practices and the conditions that facilitate the development of relationships and connections. The aims of the policies underpinning TRC were consistent with the literature outlining promising trauma-informed approaches. Findings show how the policies support the development of beneficial relationships for children and young people; however, there were also several discrepancies and silences identified, including a limited conceptualisation of children's participation.

Purpose The perspectives of children and young people with disability who experience domestic and family violence are under-researched, impeding the development of approaches that meet their needs. Knowledge gaps stem from the layered discursive positioning of disability, childhood/youth, or domestic and family violence in addition to the methodological, ethical and pragmatic complexity of research needed to understand their priorities and be attuned to their lived experience. This article explores methodological, ethical and practical challenges to centring their voices in research about domestic and family violence. Method A conceptual framework of feminist disability theory and intersectionality informed our co-designed research, across three phases: (1) quantitative large-scale data linkage and case file analysis; (2) qualitative research with children and young people, their families and service providers and (3) stakeholder engagement workshops. Results We reflect on how our research was able to prioritise the contextual agency of children and young people with disability, ways it could not, and other constraints. Conclusion Children and young people with disability experiencing domestic and family violence hold an expert and unique vantage point on what happens to them. Amplifying their priorities for directing policy and organisational change requires more of researchers in terms of methods, but also more flexibility in how projects are funded to enable creativity and innovation. We call for collective attention to frameworks for supported decision-making and child ethics to progress inclusive research which recognises the importance of participation for children and young people with disability.

Although ‘child safety’ is now a national policy priority in Australia, there is little research exploring the practices in schools that contribute to children and young people’s felt sense of safety and wellbeing. Drawing on a mixed-method Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery project, this article presents findings from interviews with school staff ( N = 10), leaders ( N = 5) and nine focus groups with students ( N = 58), in primary and secondary schools in three Australian states (New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia). We employ relational ethics, recognition theory and the theory of practice architectures to explore practices at school that support student wellbeing and safety. The findings contribute significantly to understanding the ‘bundled’ nature of current practices and the conditions that enable and constrain these. Close attention to these findings is critical as schools seek to operationalise the National Child Safe Principles and refine ongoing safeguarding procedures. The findings have informed the development of an online survey that is currently testing, on a much larger scale, which elements of ethical practice are most positively associated with students’ safety, wellbeing and recognition at school.

Only a limited number of studies have sought to examine the parenting attitudes and aspirations of young people who have experienced abuse, neglect, and childhood adversity and who are not yet pregnant or parenting. Given the dearth of literature on this topic, this study explores the attitudes and aspirations relating to pregnancy and parenthood among South Australian young people who have experienced abuse, neglect, or childhood adversity. A total of fifteen young people (8 male and 7 female) were recruited from a variety of services that may be serving young people with experiences of abuse, neglect, or early adversity. Young people took part in a semi-structured interview exploring their attitudes and aspirations regarding relationships, pregnancy, and parenthood. Young people discussed whether they would like to be parents, and some of the goals and aspirations that they would like to achieve beforehand. The reasons why young people wanted to be parents later in life and achieve these goals first were categories into three interrelated groups: they wanted to enjoy their youth and succeed in education or employment, they wanted to address their own personal difficulties and challenges first or they wanted to be prepared and be in the best position possible to meet the needs of their future children. While most of the sample were not planning on becoming parents before they turned 25, all aspired to have children at some point. Young people's aspirations towards younger parenthood were varied and often shaped by their childhood experiences and current circumstances. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.