bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Out-of-home care: Building a national research agenda
Authors: Cashmore Judy , Ainsworth Frank
Published: March 2016

This article presents the argument for the development of a national research agenda for out-of-home care and what is needed to make this agenda work. The need for a commitment to research, adequate funding and access to reliable data, plus the rapid transfer of research findings, into practice, is outlined. It also reports on the outcomes of a research agenda-building workshop sponsored by the National Child and Family Welfare Research Coalition and held in September 2002. This workshop provided an opportunity to generate a list of research question that researchers, service providers and practitioners saw as significant priorities in a national research agenda.
Before it's too late: Enhancing the early detection and prevention of long-term placement disruption
Authors: Delfabbro Paul , Barber Jim
Published: March 2016

In this paper, we examine some of the principal findings of a recent 3-year longitudinal study into foster care in South Australia and their implications for addressing the needs of children who experience high rates of placement disruption while in care. A critical finding of this study was that many of the most serious problems in foster care, such as repeated placement disruption, can be anticipated and predicted with considerable accuracy. Children who experience a disproportionately higher rate of placement disruption appear to be readily identifiable at intake. In addition, there appears to be an approximate threshold or point beyond which children subject to placement disruption begin to experience significant deterioration in their psychosocial functioning. This predictability of outcomes suggests the possibility of the early detection of children most at risk in foster care, and a means of identifying children failing to adapt to care. We believe that the extension of this form of analysis to other Australian states, for example, through the development of nationally agreed-upon definitions of ‘at risk’ and ‘harm due to disruption’ in foster care, may significantly enhance current attempts to evaluate and target treatment programs designed for children with challenging behaviours.
Well-being for Indigenous foster children: Alternative considerations for practice research
Authors: McMahon Anthony , Reck Lucinda
Published: March 2016

In child protection, ‘status indicators’ typically describe the status of children in care in regard to reason for coming into care, length of time in care, racial or ethnic identity and whether specific bureaucratic milestones have been reached. With Indigenous children, status indicators are broadened to encompass explicit requirements arising from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle. Our contention is that this approach serves administrative decision-making and not the needs of Indigenous children.

We propose a different process for evaluating the effectiveness of foster care for Indigenous children that considers their well-being rather than their status as cases. This paper examines ‘well-being indicators’ for Indigenous children in care that emphasise foster family capacity to fulfil basic developmental, health, educational, social, cultural, spiritual, housing (Fisher, Pecora, Fluke, Hardin & Field, 1999) and economic needs. The paper concludes with recommendations for practice research on well-being indicators in Indigenous families.
Boys aged 9-12 years using the services of Anglicare Victoria: A three month population study
Authors: Campbell Lynda , Kertesz Margaret
Published: March 2016

This study was conducted in response to the concerns of staff within Anglicare Victoria about the presenting problems of boys aged 9-12 years across the various agency programs and the lack of systematic data about them. Under the umbrella of the Anglicare Victoria/University of Melbourne Social Work Partnership Program, a study was undertaken with the assistance of social work students on placement within the agency. A census-style survey was completed by AV staff members for any boy aged 9, 10, 11 or 12 years in an agency program during a three-month period. Non-identifying survey forms were returned for 203 boys and this article reports the major descriptive information and service implications derived from those returns.
‘Good enough parenting’ when government is ‘the parent’
Authors: Clare Michael
Published: March 2016

This paper reviews the introduction of the UK Looking After Children practice and management materials in a number of Australian States and Territories against the background of a comparative analysis of UK central government systems to prescribe standards of service and to monitor outcomes for children in care. The writer argues that the UK Labour government commitment to a ‘whole of government’ interventionist set of activities and processes is significantly more successful in driving child welfare initiatives than the more fragmented and secretive systems in Australian States. Finally, the writer reflects on the central influence of commissioned research in informing needs and service outcomes for vulnerable children and their families.
The silent minority: The voice of the child in family law
Authors: Hart Amanda Shea
Published: March 2016

Family law in Australia is an important and unique jurisdiction that directly impacts upon the well-being and future family relationships of children whose families are in dispute over post separation parenting arrangements. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child states that children have the right to participate in decisions that directly affect them. But there are many barriers and tensions to children's participation in the jurisdiction of family law in Australia. Decisions said to be in the child's ‘best interests’ are influenced by value judgments and beliefs that are informed by dominant western discourses on the needs and competencies of children. In practice under the Family Law Reform Act 1995 children remain marginalised without an effective voice. Failure to hear the voice of the child is of special concern for children who have been traumatised by exposure to family violence and ongoing conflict. It is important to develop new understandings about children and the importance of giving children a voice.
Situating NEWPIN in the context of parent education and support models
Authors: Mondy Linda , Mondy Stephen
Published: March 2016

The nature and extent of parent education and support programs targeting parents with children under five is reviewed. Several evaluated Australian and overseas programs are described, and their role and effectiveness in the prevention of child abuse and neglect are examined. The principles and values that underpin such programs are discussed, and their common components outlined. The New Parent Infant Network (NEWPIN) is then situated in the broader framework of effective parent education and support programs operating in Australia.
Return to type?: Problems in the identification of ‘antisocial behaviours’ in children and young people
Authors: Hil Richard , Brennan Charlie
Published: March 2016

This article critically examines the contents of an Executive Summary of a recent study of ‘antisocial behaviour’ among a cohort of adolescents in Victoria. It is argued that in both theoretical and methodological terms the study suffers from a number of serious shortcomings that may have serious implications for certain populations if ensuing policies are translated into practice. Additionally, the general theoretical trajectory of the study fits into the new culture of ‘risk management’ which also has important implications for those populations defined by the powerful as aberrant or troublesome.
A Word Salad: Enterprise based competencies in child protection
Authors: Cooper Lesley
Published: March 2016

This paper reviews the Skills Enhancement Project for social welfare workers in child protection. It argues that both the description and conceptualisation of competencies is flawed. These enterprise competencies use a language that suggests expertise and control in human relationships that is antithetical to good practice. The push for incorporation of these competencies into the higher education curriculum is also problematic because of their messages about worker client relationships; the failure to consider the moral and ethical basis of practice and the assumption that professional expertise is developed solely through a technical approach.
Collaboration in the service of co-ordination
Authors: Luntz Jenny
Published: March 2016

This is the second of three articles dealing with the co-ordination of services for children and adolescents suffering with emotional and behavioural disturbance. It describes the structures, process and findings of a Project established by State Government agencies in Western Metropolitan Melbourne during 1992-1993. The aim of the Project was to develop a model of co-ordinated services to better meet the needs of this group. The third article will describe the model.
Unwanted sexual experiences during childhood: Australian continuum data
Authors: Patton Wendy , Mannison Mary
Published: March 2016

In order to place child sexual abuse in the broader conceptual framework of unwanted sexual experiences in childhood, this study explores a continuum of intrusive behaviours as reported in questionnaire data gathered from 345 first and second year Australian university students. The data provide evidence which is supportive of other findings on the nature and extent of child sexual abuse for females and males, including age of occurrence, identity of perpetrators, most commonly occurring behaviours, and gender differences in disclosure and prevalence.
Aboriginal juveniles and the criminal justice system: The case of Victoria
Authors: Mackay Michael
Published: March 2016

In the light of continuing concern about the high level of involvement of Aboriginal people in the criminal justice system, this article examines the 1993/94 police data for Victoria. The focus is on juvenile ‘alleged offenders processed’. The data shows contact commencing early and a continuing high level of contact with the system, especially for young Aboriginal males. Although there has been a reduction in the over-representation ratio of Aboriginal juveniles in juvenile corrective institutions, the difference in rates at all points in the system compared to non-Aboriginal youth is substantial.

Longer-term consequences including the likelihood of adult incarceration are serious and the need for more research and action is clearly signalled.
Handicapped Parents and Disadvantaged Children?
Authors: Bland R. , Smith N. J. , Hollingworth M.
Published: March 2016

The ABS surveys of 1981 and 1988 show that within the total population of handicapped persons a number of families with dependents have one or both parents who are handicapped. Also included within this group are lone handicapped parents and families who have in addition some other non-dependent handicapped person living with them. Besides the usual socio-economic problems surrounding disabling conditions this group are also faced with the difficulties associated with the everyday tasks of parenting. Yet, judging by the professional and research literature, they have received scant attention here in Australia or elsewhere.

This paper reports the results of a small qualitative pilot study of 19 families in which one of the parents had some physical handicap and which examined the everyday parenting tasks faced by them. It reports on some of the difficulties they experienced and also the affirmative action they took to overcome those difficulties.
Children contact centres in France
Authors: Renouf Emilia
Published: March 2016

This paper addresses the issue of contact centres, which have evolved to address the needs of children and parents affected by separation and divorce. The author notes the emergence of contact services in Australia and the establishment of the Australian and New Zealand Association of Children’s Contact Services (ANZACCS). The bulk of the paper outlines the development of children contact centres in France, summarises findings from the evaluation of 10 centres, and describes examples of three different French contact centre models. Brief summaries are also included of the situation in the UK and the USA. Some suggestions for Australian services are made, including the need for multi-disciplinary working parties in each State and Territory to advise programs.
What children tell us about bullying in schools
Authors: Rigby Ken
Published: March 2016

It is argued that much needed policies and practices to counter bullying in Australian schools should be based upon a realistic appraisal of what is known through research into the nature of the problem. This article provides a review of relevant Australian research between 1991 and 1996 conducted primarily by the author and co-workers, drawing particularly on school children’s reports and experiences and their perceptions of what can be done; finally it discusses steps that can be taken to reduce bullying in schools.
School closures, amalgamations and children’s play: Bigger may not be better
Authors: Evans John
Published: March 2016

Recent government decisions to close schools with small enrolments appear not to have taken into consideration the implications such a move might have for children’s out-of-classroom activities. Drawing on relevant literature, and accounts from teachers who have taught, or are teaching in small and large primary schools, this paper questions the prevailing belief that ‘bigger is better’ by pointing to some of the unique characteristics of small school playgrounds which provide children with opportunities and experiences not available in larger schools.
Family support: A vital link in the chain
Authors: Mulroney Louise
Published: March 2016

This paper addresses the issue of cooperation and the building of effective partnerships within the network of agencies that aim to strengthen and support families. It argues that an important step in building such partnerships is an awareness of what each agency does. This paper therefore sets out the context in which family support services are currently operating in NSW, the particular strengths of family support services and the contribution of such services to families and to planners. Constraints on family support services are also explored, particularly those that relate to the lack of recognition of the role of family support services and lack of resources available in NSW. There is an analysis of options regarding changes to work practices by family support services to deal with the lack of resources.
The interplay between poverty, unemployment, family disruption and all types of child abuse
Authors: Hood Mary
Published: March 2016

Research findings from a study of 500 cases carried out as part of a doctoral thesis will be outline. They demonstrate the clear connection between those families whose children are notified in relation to all kinds of child abuse (including sexual abuse) and poverty, unemployment and family disruption. The multi-factorial nature of the influences which create this connection are examined. The long held belief that child sexual abuse is not related to class or poverty is challenged by these findings, pointing to the need to reconceptualise this, as well as all types of child abuse, if prevention is to be an achievable goal.
Principles and processes for child protection decision-making: Queensland’s case management framework
Authors: Elliott Anne , Sultmann Chris-Maree
Published: March 2016

Many welfare authorities have developed detailed systems for the management of their initial response to child abuse reports. But what happens then? Less attention has been given to frameworks for the management of cases subject to on-going statutory intervention. The Queensland framework is unique in Australia – its methodology ensures an on-going client-focused response which integrates ‘bestpractice’ standards, accountability and dynamic planning and review until the child’s needs have been met.
Children’s contact services: On servicing and respecting children’s identity
Authors: Renouf Emilia
Published: March 2016

This article offers a brief notation on the First International Conference on Child Access Services, held in Paris on 4–7 November 1998. The author raises some questions which took shape at the Conference and notes the contrasting representations in different countries of the disciplines involved in establishing and running Child Contact Centres and how these may contribute to the contrast in ideology and philosophy in the setting up and running of these centres and the services they offer. The author’s knowledge of the French contact centre models provides a basis for looking at the establishment of Australian centres, both government and non-government funded. The French centres’ paramount goal to develop respect for the child as a person and uphold his legal position by equipping him with a sense of his history and roots, and by fostering respect between the parents, is seen as a more comprehensible concept than the ambiguous ‘best interest of the child’ goal upheld in Anglo-Saxon countries. Moreover, the length of involvement with families in the French centres is contrasted with the shorter period needed to secure the child’s physical safety. The article concludes with the hope that Australian centres are at the threshold of developing an adjunct facilitative structure that would allow progress within the families referred to them and offers as a parting note some recent American research findings on the profile of families using visitation services and of the providers of such services.
Why don’t they become foster carers?: A study of people who inquire about foster care
Authors: Keogh Louise , Svensson Ulla
Published: March 2016

In response to concerns within the Children’s Welfare Association of Victoria (CWAV) about the difficulty of recruiting foster parents, a study of the recruitment process experienced by Victorian inquirers was conducted. The literature consistently reports a low rate of conversion of inquirers into foster carers. This study was concerned with finding out the cause of this low rate, what happens to the inquirers after making a call and why they decide to continue or not continue with foster care?

Telephone interviews were conducted with 91 inquirers about their experience of the recruitment process. Only 4 per cent of these inquirers had become carers. The rest were split evenly between those who decided not to continue because of personal circumstances, and those who were discouraged in some way by the response to their contact received from the allocated agency. This result was surprising and disappointing, and we suggest that these callers may be a more valuable resource than agencies suspect. Ways of giving these callers more effective follow up, while recognising constraints on time and resources experienced by workers in this field, are needed to take full advantage of the opportunity to recruit the potential carers among them.
Supporting male sole parents
Authors: Turner Sharon , Monk Peter , Mudaly Bala
Published: March 2016

As the number of male sole parents in the community increases, it is not uncommon for professionals to be faced with requests for counselling and parenting support from men who are single fathers. Issues and challenges that face sole fathers are many and varied, including cultural aspects, gender issues, age and personal factors such as the capacity as a father to be therefor the child.

Many issues which need to be addressed when working with single fathers are not dissimilar to those experienced by single mothers. However, there are salient issues which appear unique to the sole father population. These include the lack of support for male sole parents and the father’s self concept. A dilemma that may confront professionals is how to be mindful of the protective needs of children in these families (in order to prevent the emergence of ‘high risk’ concerns), while providing effective and innovative support.

Case studies will be drawn upon to illustrate the issues confronting sole fathers, and the kinds of outcomes that may result from providing counselling and support to this target group. (Names and identifying features have been changed to ensure client confidentiality.)
Children’s coping and thriving: Not just in care
Authors: Wise Sarah
Published: March 2016

This paper was commissioned for this issue of Children Australia to draw together developmental issues for children and young people in care.
Partnership – the caring team
Authors: Wain Jill
Published: March 2016

Let me introduce myself. My name is Jill Wain, I am and have been married to a wonderful and supportive husband, Greg, for 34 years and we have seven children. Three of my children are the result of our fostering experience and I have four birth children. The children range in age from 7 to 33 years. Up until recently five were still living at home but major house renovations have come up with some creative options that have actually moved two on, but with threats that they will be back when the house is finished. We will wait and see. That fridge with food in it seems to hold the key, or is it something else?

So let me pose the question, what did 1 think fostering was going to be about? On the positive side I guess it was having fun times with kids, playing at the beach, reading stories, games at the park, playing on the tractor and offering a child a few experiences they may not have had, and perhaps there would be the occasional vomit that I would certainly ask my husband to clean up (I am not very good at dealing with this), the odd tantrums and perhaps the poo smeared on the walls as a bit of a balance.
The wider caring network
Authors: Campbell Lynda
Published: March 2016

This paper was commissioned for this issue of Children Australia to integrate perspectives of the caring team and its broader social context.
‘We weren’t trained for this’: Teachers, foster care and permanent care
Authors: O’Neill Cas
Published: March 2016

Schools and teachers are increasingly seen to be an integral part of the welfare system and are expected to cope with very challenging children, many of whom are in residential or alternative family care. The longitudinal action-oriented research which is described in this article, highlighted the joys and difficulties which teachers face in supporting these children and their foster, permanent care and adoptive parents. Themes of role, power, control and support in the teachers’ accounts are explored and three implications for practice are suggested.
Where do the children play?
Authors: Evans John
Published: March 2016

While there is still some debate about whether or not children play less today than they did in the past, few would argue that they play differently. There is a good deal of concern that children are less involved in physically active outdoor play today because their traditional playgrounds – the backyards, streets and vacant spaces – are now less accessible. Why this is the case, and why it should be something which concerns us, are questions which are addressed in this paper. The discussion concludes by examining ways in which outdoor play might be made more accessible to children.
Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children in out-of-home care
Authors: Barber J.G. , Delfabbro P.H. , Cooper L.
Published: March 2016

A full year’s intake of 38 Aboriginal children and 198 non-Aboriginal children referred for a new out-of-home placement in South Australia were studied as part of the first phase of a 3-year longitudinal study into the outcomes of alternative care. The baseline profile of this cohort revealed a number of significant racial and geographical differences between the children. Among the most important of these was an interaction between race and geographical location on length of time in care which indicated that Aboriginal children from metropolitan areas and non-Aboriginal children from rural areas had the longest histories of alternative care. In addition, Aboriginal children in metropolitan areas were the least likely to be referred into care for reasons of emotional abuse or neglect, no doubt because so many of them were already in alternative care at the time of the referral. Metropolitan Aboriginal children were also the unhealthiest and, together with rural non-Aborigines, the most likely to be under a court order at the time of placement. Overall, results are consistent with the proposition that metropolitan Aboriginal children and rural non-Aboriginal children are the most reliant on the formal alternative care system.
Facilitating participation of children and young people in care
Authors: Cashmore Judy , O’Brien Andrew
Published: March 2016

A significant challenge for children and young people in care (and for the agencies which supervise their care) is to find ways to ‘have a say’ in the decisions which affect their lives. The aim of this paper is to bring together the results of several recent Australian studies which have explored the views of children and young people in care and to see how well they fit with the views of the adult professionals responsible for their care. This research makes it clear that the practice still lags some way behind the rhetoric and that many children and young people in care are not satisfied with their level of involvement. The main preconditions for facilitating effective participation by children and young people are outlined.
Family preservation, family reunification and related issues: Recent news
Authors: Ainsworth Frank
Published: March 2016

This paper sets the context for a review of family preservation and family reunification research by briefly noting the national and international crisis that currently surrounds foster care. It then presents the recent family preservation and family reunification research from the US and Australia. Some of this material is drawn from the book by Maluccio, Ainsworth and Thoburn (2000), ‘Child welfare outcome research in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia’. The decision to focus on the US material stems from the fact that these terms originated there in the 1980s and this is where the major research studies are to be found The final comments focus on the re-emphasis on permanency planning and adoption, at least in New South Wales (NSW), and the implications of this for family preservation and reunification services.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: Theory and practice examined through the lens of power
Authors: Rogers Dianne
Published: March 2016

Currently, discourses on Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) within Australia are in conflict. There are two dominant and conflicting knowledge bases: the biological and genetic approach, and the psychological approach, which includes behavioural and psychoanalytic theories on the cause of deviant or difficult behaviour. Other minor discourses also exist, including the diet perspective and an emerging strengths based discourse arising from support groups. The debate is not purely academic as theory, and the practice developed from that theory, have a huge impact on families. An overview of the competing discourses currently operating in Australia, particularly in Queensland, is presented. The author argues that the theories and the associated strategies recommended by professionals, result in varying outcomes for families and individuals affected by the disorder.
‘Mothercraft not learnt by instinct’: An investigation of the infant welfare movement in Australia 1919–1939
Authors: Kitchens Rachael
Published: March 2016

Drawing from the work of Norbert Elias, this paper examines the infant welfare movement in Australia in the inter-war years. Elias maintains that during the course of what he describes as the ‘civilising process’, the psychological and behavioural distance between adults and children has increased. As a result of this growing distance, the period of childhood has become longer and the process of the transition to adulthood more complex. In this way, parenthood is experienced as an increasingly difficult task, and one that does not come naturally but requires education and training. It is the contention of this paper that the infant welfare movement, with its emphasis on parental education, can be understood as part of the civilising process: as an unintended consequence of the growing distance between children and adults.
Personal reflections on needs and services for young people leaving care: From local to international to national (1996–2005)
Authors: Clare Mike
Published: March 2016

This paper describes and reflects on a Western Australian initiative in which a university Department of Social Work and Social Policy developed a partnership with a major hank’s staff charity and the West Australian Association of Young People in Care (WAAYPIC) to develop a preparatory Life Skills Workshop and a Peer Mentoring programme for young people about to leave State care. The programme was designed and provided by WAA YPIC members.

The paper reflects on partnership processes in securing funding and implementing two pilot projects for care graduates. There is a review of predominantly United Kingdom and Australian research literature on the experiences and life-chances of young people leaving the care of the ‘government as parent’. Notions of social justice and ‘good enough parenting’ are challenged. While their peers living with birth parents are leaving home in their mid-20s, able to rely on emotional and financial support from their families, the average age of leaving care is 17 years and the quality and continuity of emotional and financial support is problematic.

The author describes and reflects on local initiatives in leaving care policies and programmes and goes on to reflect on the growing arguments for a national system of service standards and necessary funding to achieve these standards. Recent UK initiatives are reviewed in the context of the 2005 FACE TO FACE Workshop on leaving care needs and policies in Australian States and Territories.
Young people’s journey to independence: Towards a better future for young people leaving state care in Victoria
Authors: Moslehuddin Badal , Mendes Philip
Published: March 2016

Young people leaving state care have been found to experience deficits in all aspects of their life cycle. These include homelessness, poor educational and employment outcomes, involvement in juvenile crime and prostitution, mental and physical health problems, early parenthood and inadequate social support systems. These poor outcomes experienced by care leavers result from a range of factors relating to their pre-care abuse and neglect, poor quality and unstable care history and inadequate support for their successful transition to independence. Young people leaving state care in Victoria are currently lacking the ongoing and guaranteed support that would be expected of a good parent. Using relevant local and international literature and findings from a qualitative study involving 10 care leavers, this paper examines the factors that contribute to negative as well as positive outcomes for young people leaving state care. Some conclusions are drawn regarding policy and practice reforms that could lead to improved outcomes for care leavers.
Support in foster care … looking for best practice
Authors: O’Neill Cas
Published: March 2016

We all know what we personally find supportive and unsupportive. However, transforming the everyday ordinariness of what we experience as support into professional practice is not quite as simple as it may seem.

This paper explores some of the theories of support, how support works (including dilemmas for givers and receivers of support), supportive relationships and non-support. The theoretical material is illustrated with findings from research undertaken at a small inner city Melbourne foster care agency, Share Care. Birth parents, caregivers and social workers talk about their experiences as givers and receivers of support.

The research findings, in association with the theoretical material, provide insights into what could be seen as ‘best practice’ in terms of foster care support.
E-technology and information sharing in child welfare: Learning from the English experience
Authors: Connolly Marie , Hall Christopher , Peckover Sue , White Sue
Published: March 2016

The use of e-technology as a way of improving communication and collaboration across services in child welfare has generated significant interest in recent years. The Information Sharing and Assessment (ISA) is an e-technology initiative that has been introduced by the British Government as an attempt to promote better information sharing between professionals, early identification and multi-professional interventions. This article looks at one aspect of ISA, the introduction of the Common Assessment Framework (CAF). It considers some of the issues relating to the introduction and use of the CAF, and discusses some of the ways in which systems of child welfare may learn from the English experience. While acknowledging the potential for e-technology to strengthen practice developments in child welfare, it emphasises the need for careful scrutiny of new developments to ensure that they do not have negative, unintended consequences.
The complex digital divide: Information and communication technology amongst users of family support and foster care services
Authors: Tregeagle Susan
Published: March 2016

This paper presents the findings of qualitative research on the use of mobile phones and home access to the Internet amongst some Australian welfare service users. It shows that a digital divide – the exclusion of some groups from information and communication technology – goes well beyond access to hardware. Phones are often unavailable and access to the Internet is contingent on infrastructure, technical support and individual interest. Access to the Internet at home is poor and, even when available, the way in which mobile phones and the Internet are used appears deeply affected by poverty, literacy and age. These findings present challenges for those concerned about vulnerable children’s ongoing disadvantage. Welfare agencies wishing to use the potential advantages of information and communication technology with families need to address patterns of use and the many barriers to access.

A glossary of ICT terms used in this article is presented at the end of the paper.
Working with families from culturally and linguistically diverse communities in Queensland: An Australian exploratory study
Authors: Kaur Jatinder
Published: March 2016

In Australia there is limited research and information regarding how Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) families are assessed within the child protection system. This paper explores assessment issues faced by child protection investigation officers when working with CALD families in the Queensland child protection system. The research examined the level of knowledge, training and experiences of child protection officers and whether they were ‘culturally competent’. The study found that entry level officers did not receive adequate training and resources, and lacked CALD-specific knowledge on how to deal with cross cultural issues when working with CALD families. Respondents indicated that interpreters‘ services were effective during investigation and assessment of CALD families. The findings of this study highlight key concerns in the provision of child protection assessments, practice, policy and service delivery when working with CALD families.
The value of ethnographic research: University students and financial hardship
Authors: Bessant Judith
Published: March 2016

This article articulates the value of ethnographic research into poverty and particularly into the issue of student hardship. The question is asked whether ‘poverty line’ models of research, which claim to establish objective and accurate measures of financial adversity, actually help in understanding the problem of student hardship. Similar questions are asked about discourses that use the language of participation and social exclusion.

Consideration is given to the value of listening to young people talk about their experiences of studying and living without sufficient means. I refer here not only to the ethics of including ‘the subjects’ of research in the knowledge-making activity, but also to the value of the ethnographic material that is produced. This offers insights into the particular social problem which it is critical to understand in order to respond effectively. It is also material that is not available through more traditional forms of research. While the focus in this article is on university students and financial hardship, it is also arguing more generally in favour of giving priority to interpretivist tradition in research about contemporary social problems.
The Human Face of the Rural Downturn
Authors: Pekin Jim
Published: March 2016

The economic effects of the current rural downturn are relatively easy to monitor. This paper looks at the social costs and the impact on farm families. It also discusses the discrimination against farm families within Australia’s welfare system.
The Stolen Children: a personal account
Authors: Freedman Linda , Donaczy Teresa
Published: March 2016

Teresa Donaczy’s calm presence and quiet sense of humour cannot mask her pain. The memory of removal from her family at the age of five still haunts her. A re-union thirty-four years later, a happy marriage, nine children and thirteen grandchildren cannot erase the hurt.

Born Teresa Kirby on an Aboriginal reserve in the New South Wales town of Balranald in 1936, Teresa recalls how the Aboriginal people hid their children in the bushes to avoid them being taken by New South Wales Government authorities.
The Reality of Youth in Isolation
Authors: Danzi Jane
Published: March 2016

Weipa is a small mining town with a population of 3,000, located on the west coast of far North Queensland. The mining of bauxite and kaolin by Comalco Mineral Products provide the reason for Weipa’s existence.

Frequently described as a ‘closed town’, Weipa has no local government authority. All housing is supplied by Comalco and most of the working population is employed by the company. Those not employed by Comalco are mostly government employees or service personnel. Now twenty-six years old, Weipa is facing a possible change from company control to local government management, a move referred to as ‘normalisation’, and one which has evoked mixed feelings.
Briefing on the Danish Information Campaign on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
Authors: Poulsgaard Kirsten
Published: March 2016

In 1991 Denmark launched a major information campaign on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. No less than four different publications were brought out, each of them targeted at a specific group, with free copies to all schoolchildren. The youngest children received a picture book, the intermediate age group a newsletter and for the oldest pupils there was a newspaper. A book was available to adults for a small charge.
Can We Accept the Acceptable?: Evidence and procedure in child sexual abuse cases in recent Australian law
Authors: Bates Frank
Published: March 2016

In an earlier article (Bates, 1990), it was suggested that the test enunciated by the High Court of Australia in In the Marriage of M (1988) F.L.C. 91–979 for denying custody or access in cases where there had been allegations of child sexual abuse was inappropriate. In that case, it will be remembered, the High Court stated (at 77,081) that:

To achieve a proper balance, the test is best expressed by saying that a court will not grant custody or access to a parent if that custody or access would expose the child to an unacceptable risk of sexual abuse.
Differences in depression between unknown diabetes and known diabetes: results from China health and retirement longitudinal study
Authors: Liu Huaqing , Xu Xiaoyue , Hall John J. , Wu Xuesen , Zhang Min
Published: March 2016

Background:

Both diabetes and depression have become serious public health problems and are major contributors to the global burden of disease. People with diabetes have been shown to have higher risk of depression. The purpose of this study was to observe the differences in depression between older Chinese adults with known or unknown diabetes.

Methods:

Data came from the national baseline survey of China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale was used to assess depression. Participants with a history of diabetes diagnosis were considered to have known diabetes, and those with newly-diagnosed diabetes were considered to have unknown diabetes. Multiple logistic regression analysis was applied to estimate odds ratio (OR) for depression in predictor variables.

Results:

Overall, 39.1% of the 2,399 participants with diabetes suffered from depression. The prevalence of depression was significantly higher (p< 0.001) in people with known diabetes (43.5%) than those with unknown diabetes (35.1%). The biggest differences between the two groups were found in the middle aged, in women, in the less educated and in married people. In known diabetes, people treated with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) coupled with oral western medicine (WM) and/or insulin had two-fold odds of depression compared to those without treatment.

Conclusion:

The knowledge of having diabetes, treatments and suffering from other chronic diseases were associated with the higher prevalence of depression in people with known diabetes compared to those with unknown diabetes. Prevention of depression in diabetics should receive more attention in the middle aged, women and the less education.
The time-course of morphosyntactic and semantic priming in late bilinguals: A study of German adjectives
Authors: BOSCH SINA , KRAUSE HELENA , LEMINEN ALINA
Published: March 2016

How do late proficient bilinguals process morphosyntactic and lexical-semantic information in their non-native language (L2)? How is this information represented in the L2 mental lexicon? And what are the neural signatures of L2 morphosyntactic and lexical-semantic processing? We addressed these questions in one behavioral and two ERP priming experiments on inflected German adjectives testing a group of advanced late Russian learners of German in comparison to native speaker (L1) controls. While in the behavioral experiment, the L2 learners performed native-like, the ERP data revealed clear L1/L2 differences with respect to the temporal dynamics of grammatical processing. Specifically, our results show that L2 morphosyntactic processing yielded temporally and spatially extended brain responses relative to L1 processing, indicating that grammatical processing of inflected words in an L2 is more demanding and less automatic than in the L1. However, this group of advanced L2 learners showed native-like lexical-semantic processing.
Thermophysical Characteristics of OSIRIS-REx Target Asteroid (101955) Bennu
Authors: Yu Liangliang , Ji Jianghui
Published: March 2016

In this work, we investigate the thermophysical properties, including thermal inertia, roughness fraction and surface grain size of OSIRIS-REx target asteroid (101955) Bennu by using a thermophysical model with the recently updated 3D radar-derived shape model (Nolan et al., 2013) and mid-infrared observations (Müller et al. 2012, Emery et al., 2014). We find that the asteroid bears an effective diameter of 510+6−40 m, a geometric albedo of 0.047+0.0083−0.0011, a roughness fraction of 0.04+0.26−0.04, and thermal inertia of 240+440−60 Jm−2s−0.5K−1 for our best-fit solution. The best-estimate thermal inertia suggests that fine-grained regolith may cover a large portion of Bennu's surface, where a grain size may vary from 1.3 to 31 mm. Our outcome suggests that Bennu is suitable for the OSIRIS-REx mission to return samples to Earth.
Hill Stability of Configurations in the Full N-Body Problem
Authors: Scheeres D. J.
Published: March 2016

Rigorous results on Hill Stability for the classical N-body problem are in general unknown for N ≥ 3, due to the complex interactions that may occur between bodies and the many different outcomes which may occur. However, the addition of finite density for the bodies along with a rigidity assumption on their mass distribution allows for Hill stability to be easily established. In this note we generalize results on Hill stability developed for the Full 3-body problem and show that it can be applied to the Full N-body problem. Further, we find that Hill Stability concepts can be applied to identify types of configurations which can escape and types which cannot as a function of the system energy.
DEEP-South: Automated Observation Scheduling, Data Reduction and Analysis Software Subsystem
Authors: Yim Hong-Suh , Kim Myung-Jin , Bae Young-Ho , Moon Hong-Kyu , Choi Young-Jun , Roh Dong-Goo , Park Jintae , Moon Bora ,   the DEEP-South Team
Published: March 2016

We started ‘DEep Ecliptic Patrol of the Southern sky’ (DEEP-South, DS) (Moon et al. 2015) in late 2012, and conducted test runs with the first Korea Microlensing Telescope Network (KMTNet) (Park et al. 2012), a 1.6 m telescope with 18k x 18k CCD stationed at CTIO in early 2015. While the primary objective of DEEP-South is the physical characterization of small Solar System bodies, it is also expected to discover a large number of such bodies, many of them previously unknown. An automated observation scheduling, data reduction and analysis software subsystem called ‘DEEP-South Scheduling and Data reduction System’ (DS SDS) is thus being designed and implemented to enable observation planning, data reduction and analysis with minimal human intervention.
Bayesian statistical approach to binary asteroid orbit determination
Authors: Kovalenko Irina D. , Stoica Radu S. , Emelyanov N. V. , Doressoundiram A. , Hestroffer D.
Published: March 2016

The problem of binary asteroids orbit determination is of particular interest, given knowledge of the orbit is the best way to derive the mass of the system. Orbit determination from observed points is a classic problem of celestial mechanics. However, in the case of binary asteroids, particularly with a small number of observations, the solution is not evident to derive. In the case of resolved binaries the problem consists in the determination of the relative orbit from observed relative positions of a secondary asteroid with respect to the primary. In this work, the problem is investigated as a statistical inverse problem. Within this context, we propose a method based on Bayesian modelling together with a global optimisation procedure that is based on the simulated annealing algorithm.
Active bodies in the near-Earth region: The tenuous boundary between comets and asteroids
Authors: Fernández Julio A. , Sosa Andrea
Published: March 2016

We analyze the dynamics and activity observed in bodies approaching the Earth (perihelion distancesq< 1.3 au) in short-period orbits (P< 20 yr), which essentially are near-Earth Jupiter Family Comets (NEJFCs) and near-Earth asteroids (NEAs). In the general definition, comets are “active”, i.e. they show some coma, while asteroids are “inactive”, i.e. they only show a bare nucleus. Besides their activity, NEJFCs are distinguished from NEAs by their dynamical evolution: NEJFCs move on unstable orbits subject to frequent close encounters with Jupiter, whereas NEA orbits are much more stable and tend to avoid close encounters with Jupiter. However, some JFCs are found to move on stable, asteroidal-type orbits, so the question arises if these objects are asteroids that have become active, perhaps upon approach to the Sun. In this sense they may be regarded as the counterparts of the main-belt comets (Hsieh & Jewitt 2006). On the other hand, some seemingly inert NEAs move on unstable, comet-type orbits, so the question about what is a comet and what is an asteroid has become increasingly complex.