Practitioners’ Perspectives: Partnering with Families in Out of Home Care (OOHC) – From ‘On the Outer’ to Shared Caring

ABSTRACT In this Practice Paper, family therapists working in a large Australian non-government agency reflect on their experience of family inclusive practice with children and adolescents living in the organization’s residential care homes. This paper draws on relevant literature in the out-of-home care (OOHC) sector and the substantial research and practice experience which validates the importance and benefits of partnering with families and kin, wherever possible. The primary focus of the authors is an exploration of constraints or roadblocks to effective implementation of family partnering. They also discuss how they are working to navigate these constraints with strategies that can be implemented at all levels in OOHC. Two case studies are presented to highlight the challenges and opportunities in this work, along with some innovative and valuable initiatives in progress. The authors advocate for the need to draw on the voices of children and their families who have been part of the OOHC sector to guide the further development of systemic and collaborative practice.