Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW Sydney, Level 2 John Goodsell Building, Sydney 2052, Australia.
Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research, University of Technology Sydney, PO Box 123, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia.
Child Abuse Negl. 2024 Mar;149:106058. doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106058. Epub 2023 Feb 10.
Restoration of Aboriginal children (also called reunification) is an under-researched area despite being the preferred permanency outcome for children.
To investigate the rate of restoration for Aboriginal children, the factors that influence restoration, and to explore the experiences of parents whose Aboriginal children have been restored, and their children.
Analyses were conducted using data from the NSW Department of Communities and Justice Pathways of Care Longitudinal Study (POCLS).
The quantitative sample includes all Aboriginal children in NSW who were on final Children's Court care and protection orders by 30 April 2013. Qualitative data were extracted from the POCLS survey instruments.
Of the 1018 Aboriginal children in the study, 15.2% were restored. Around 40 % of children entered care following just one (or no) substantiated Risk of Significant Harm reports. Children entering care under the age of 2 years were the least likely to be restored. Parents expressed dissatisfaction with child protection agencies and family support services both at the time their child was removed and in the restoration period. Parents and children expressed the importance of being supported to maintain family relationships while children are in care.
Despite policy priorities to the contrary, few Aboriginal children are considered for restoration. More support is needed for Aboriginal parents interfacing with all stages of the care system and following restoration. Additional research is needed to understand the factors underlying decisions to remove Aboriginal children from their families and whether restoration to their family is considered or achieved.
尽管对儿童来说是首选的永久性结果，但原住民儿童（也称为团聚）的恢复情况仍未得到充分研究。
调查原住民儿童的恢复率、影响恢复的因素，并探讨其父母的经历，这些父母的原住民儿童已被恢复，以及他们的孩子。
分析使用来自新南威尔士州社区和司法部关怀途径纵向研究（POCLS）的数据进行。
定量样本包括截至 2013 年 4 月 30 日在新南威尔士州所有最终在儿童法院获得照顾和保护令的原住民儿童。定性数据是从 POCLS 调查工具中提取的。
在研究中的 1018 名原住民儿童中，有 15.2%被恢复。大约 40%的儿童在仅收到一份（或没有）经证实的重大伤害风险报告后进入护理。进入护理的年龄在 2 岁以下的儿童最不可能被恢复。父母在孩子被带走时和恢复期间都对儿童保护机构和家庭支持服务表示不满。父母和孩子都表示在孩子在照顾期间需要得到支持以维持家庭关系的重要性。
尽管有政策重点，但很少有原住民儿童被考虑恢复。需要为与护理系统各个阶段互动并在恢复后与原住民父母提供更多支持。需要进一步研究以了解从家庭中带走原住民儿童的决定背后的因素，以及是否考虑或实现将其恢复到家庭中。
