Navigating the social landscape

Explore the intricate social factors that shape the lives of children and families in contemporary Australian society. This page delves into understanding the context, impact, and strategic responses within early childhood services.

Understanding the social context

The social environment of early childhood has undergone significant change, with a wide variety of environments including family placement care, foster care, and same-sex families (Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2016). An important aspect of the social environment in Australia is Out-of-Home Care (OOHC), where children are taken into state custody for reasons of safety (Cashmore, Conley Wright, & Metcalfe, 2022).

From a sociological perspective, this is examined by means of Attachment Theory. The children that have come into OOHC have been subjected to "relational trauma," as their circle of security has been disrupted (McMahon & Grace, 2022). As such, the early childhood educator needs to be the "Secondary Attachment," offering a stable source of predictable caregiving, enabling the child to develop a new internal representation of a safe world (Grace, Townley, & Woodrow, 2022).

Family Systems Theory further explains that for children in care, the "family" extends to include caseworkers, biological parents, and foster carers (Johnson & Ray, 2016). This creates a complex "system" that the educator must navigate. The evolving nature of this issue in Australia is seen in the "permanency planning" movement, which seeks to minimize the number of placements a child experiences (Cashmore et al., 2022). Educators play a vital role in this by providing the only constant "social anchor" in a child’s life during placement transitions (Wong, Hayes, & Wise, 2017).

Impact on children and families

The effects of being involved with the OOHC system are considerable. On the child, "attachment disorders" and "disrupted sense of Belonging" can result (McMahon & Grace, 2022). The child might become hyper-vigilant, always watching out for danger, unable to enter into meaningful play and exploration (National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, 2020).

The family, including foster carers and kinship care providers, experiences what is known as "system fatigue." Being involved with the demands of the legal and social work system leaves them emotionally exhausted and unable to form the kind of family-centred partnership that needs to be formed with the service (Wong, Hayes, & Wise, 2017). On the service delivery side, educators need to engage in "Professional Love"—an intense level of commitment to the best interests of the child that never exceeds the bounds of professional ethics and allows the child the emotional warmth it needs to develop properly (Woodrow, Grace, & Cashmore, 2022).

 

Social policy and Australian responses

The main policy initiative is "Safe and Supported: The National Framework for Protecting Australia's Children 2021-2031," which focuses on the welfare and stability of all children (Commonwealth of Australia, 2021). According to data from AIHW (2024), there are more than 45,000 children in OOHC; however, there is over-representation of First Nations children (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2024).

Practice is influenced by policy, requiring educators to participate in "Case Practice Meetings" and ensuring quality documentation to facilitate the development of the child's "Life Story" (Cashmore et al., 2022). This is consistent with the NQS criterion of "inclusive environments" supporting each child’s distinctive social context (ACECQA, 2018).

Strategies for practice

Family-Led Communication: Review all communications and use language such as "Your grown-ups" (ACECQA, 2024).

Transitions for Children With Traumas: Provide transitional objects for children in care during the transition process from one residence to another (National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, 2020).

Goodbye Procedures for OOHC: Design a goodbye procedure comprising three steps to assist with separation anxiety associated with OOHC (McMahon & Grace, 2022).

Life Story Approach: Develop a "Book of Me" with carers to help document the life story of the child (Cashmore et al., 2022).

Inter-Agency Protocols: Set up communication channels with caseworkers to ensure that the agency is kept up-to-date regarding the legal position of the service (Baker, Kaplun, & Dadich, 2022).

Community and professional partnerships

Foster Care Association of Australia: Offers assistance and training to kin and foster carers (Cashmore et al., 2022).

Create Foundation: Empowers the cared-for children to participate in their education through their voice (CREATE Foundation, n.d.).

Child Protection Services: Works with child protection services in relation to the safety and legalities involved in moving the child (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2024).

Grandparents Rearing Grandchildren: Assists kin carers in dealing with education in particular (Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2023).

Local Support Groups: Assists families in creating a "Social Network" so that the carers don't feel lonely (Wong et al., 2017).

Resources for educators and children

Programs, Projects and Websites

CREATE Foundation Website: Resources for educators to be aware of children's rights and experiences in care settings (CREATE Foundation, n.d.).

Foster Care Australia Portal: Provides guidelines for fostering respectful "Partnerships with Families" (Cashmore et al., 2022).

Safe and Supported Portal: Information regarding the National Framework for child wellbeing and safety practices for education professionals (Commonwealth of Australia, 2021).

Australian Childhood Foundation: Trauma-informed teaching tools and secure base strategies for fostering safe educational environments (Australian Childhood Foundation, n.d.).

 

Children’s Storybooks (birth to 5 years)

'The Family Book' by Todd Parr: Covers all kinds of families, encouraging diversity and acceptance of various types (Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2016).

'A Family is a Family is a Family' by Sara O'Leary: Promotes discussion of personal family life and prevents the phenomenon of identity silencing (Dan, 2014).

'Love Makes a Family' by Sophie Beer: Daily acts of love in different families, empowering children through positive recognition of loving environments (Grace & Barton, 2022).

'The Great Big Book of Families' by Mary Hoffman: Different types of family homes where children can discover mirrors of themselves (Kendall, 2017).

 

Videos, TV Shows, and Podcasts

The Great Big Book of Families Animation: Visual imagery that initiates a conversation about social connection and community membership (Kendall, 2017).

Sesame Street: Foster Care: Information about who "foster parents" are, promoting empathic development in peers (Wong et al., 2017).

ABC Kids: All Kinds of Families: A podcast that addresses the changing nature of families and different forms of family care in Australia (Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2016).

Inside Out Film Scenes: Highlights the "sadness" and "joy" that characterize family transitions (Lawrence, Brooker, & Dodds, 2022).