Children in Institutional and Other Forms of Care: A National Perspective

June 1985

ISBN 0 644 04095 5

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1 Introduction - (PDF format)
Range of substitute care centres
Number of characteristics of children in institutional care
Reasons for the placement of children in substitute care
Incidence of child abuse
Legal status of children in substiute care
Cost of substitute care

Chapter 2: Changing Attitudes and Approaches Towards Institutional and Other Forms of Substitute Care - (PDF format)
Historical background
De-institutionalisation and other changes in public policy
Development of preventative policies
Changing approaches towards the treatment of Aboriginal children in care
Changing approaches towards the treatment of disabled children in care
Changing approaches towards the treatment of young offenders in care

Chapter 3: Role and Responsibility of the Commonwealth Government - (PDF format)
Development of the Commonwealth's role
Constitutional basis for the Commonwealth's role
Present forms of Commonwealth Government assistance

Chapter 4: Adoption and Foster Care - (PDF format)
The practice of adoption
The practice of foster care

Chapter 5: Institutional Care - (PDF format)
Trends in the number of children in institutional care
Types of institutional care
Children in non-government institutional care
Children in government institutional care
Future role of institutional care
Educational needs of children in institutional care

Chapter 6: Effectiveness of Present Substitute Care Arrangements - (PDF format)
Evaluation of substitute care services
Adequacy of statistics
Quality of substitute care
Funding of substitute care
Application of assesment and planning procedures
Integration of services
Exchange of information and conduct of research

Chapter 7: The Children's Services Program and Preventative Services - (PDF format)
Range of services
Early childhood services and services for school-aged children
Services for children with special needs
Family Support Services Scheme
Effectiveness of the Children's Services Program

Chapter 8: Conclusion - (PDF format)
Requirements of children remaining in substitute care
Possible repercussions of recent government initiatives
Need for the co-ordination of welfare services
Establishment of a national children and families commission

Appendices

Appendix 1: Witnesses - (PDF format)

Appendix 2: Organisations and Individuals who Presented Written Submissions to the Committee - (PDF format)

Appendix 3: Substitute Care Centres and Agencies Visited by the Committee - (PDF format)

Appendix 4: Statistics Relating to Children in Substitute Care - (PDF format)

Appendix 5: Commonwealth Financial Assistance Available to Families with Dependent Children - (PDF format)

Appendix 6: Commonwealth Financial Assistance Available to Organisations and Individuals Providing Institutional and Other forms of Substitute Care - (PDF format)

Appendix 7: Development of the Commonwealth's Role in the Provision of Child Care and Family Support Services 1972-1985 - (PDF format)

Appendix 8: United Nations Declaration of the Rights of the Child - (PDF format)