The Value of External Support Services when Children Transition into Foster Care: An Example of a Volunteering Project

2015 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 367-371
Author(s):  
Michael Nycyk ◽  
John Rigsby-Jones ◽  
Margaret Redsell
Keyword(s):  
Foster Care ◽  
Support Services ◽  
Emergency Situation ◽  
Support Service ◽  
External Support ◽  
Substantial Part ◽  
Sense Of Ownership ◽  
Lessons Learnt ◽  
Care Project ◽  
Outcomes For Children

When children are removed from their homes in an emergency situation they leave behind some or all of those familiar items they consider their own. The loss of this sense of ownership, combined with the shock of moving to an unfamiliar foster environment, can leave them afraid, traumatised and emotionally scarred. A group of volunteers addressed this by forming the Love and Care project in Brisbane, Australia. The aim of this project is to provide kits to children from birth to 17 years of age upon them being placed in foster care. These care kits, containing clothing, school supplies, toys and other items, fill a need for the children to have something they can hold on to and call their own. This paper demonstrates the value of an external support service that can play a substantial part in maximising better outcomes for children transitioning into foster care. It aims to describe the structure and practices of Love and Care and, from the lessons learnt through observation of the project practices that created and sustained it, to make recommendations. It also briefly addresses the importance of including external services in the evaluation and research of foster children's outcomes.

Reading with Angels: Improving Literacy among Children in Foster Care

2013 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 54-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth Knight
Keyword(s):  
Foster Care ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Literacy Outcomes ◽  
Children In Foster Care ◽  
Love Of Learning ◽  
Outcomes For Children ◽  
Children's Literacy ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Children In Care

The Pyjama Foundation is an Australian charity working to improve the literacy and numeracy outcomes for children in foster care. The foundation delivers the Pyjama Foundation Love of Learning programme, a learning-based mentoring programme in which volunteer ‘Pyjama Angels’ visit children in care each week to read books, play games and engage in other learning-based activities.This study surveyed 121 Love of Learning mentors (‘Pyjama Angels’) to assess their perceptions of the relationships they had developed with the children they mentored and of the children's improvement in their literacy skills, a key aim of the programme.The statistical data analysis based on the structural equation modelling and multiple regression approach showed that several factors had a statistically significant impact on the mentors’ perceptions of the children's improvement in literacy skills: relationship with the child, child's engagement and tenure in the programme, and frequency of meetings. Age and gender of the mentors were not found to have a statistically significant impact on mentors’ perceptions of this improvement, while mentors’ perceptions of their relationship with the children was the most important factor influencing their perceptions of improvement in literacy skills. The study did not include objective measures of the children's literacy outcomes, so its results are limited to the mentors’ perceptions. However, this study offers valuable insights for mentoring programmes working with children living in foster care.

Low-threshold support services for people with dementia within the scope of respite care in Germany – A qualitative study on different stakeholders’ perspective

Dementia ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 576-590 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iris Hochgraeber ◽  
Milena von Kutzleben ◽  
Sabine Bartholomeyczik ◽  
Bernhard Holle
Keyword(s):  
Support Services ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Support Service ◽  
Professional Services ◽  
Family Carers ◽  
Term Care ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Long Term Care Insurance ◽  
Low Threshold

Low-threshold support services are provided within the basket of services of German long-term care insurance as a part of respite care to support family carers and people with dementia. This study investigates various stakeholders’ (providers, coordinators, volunteers, family carers and people with dementia) perspectives on low-threshold support service regarding its organisation and conceptualisation as well as how stakeholders and users value low-threshold support service using a qualitative approach. Twelve guided interviews and group discussions were conducted with 31 participants. Organisation and conceptualisation are characterised by the lowness of the service thresholds, which is perceived to be quick and simple forms of support with no user requirements. Multiple barriers such as the challenging behaviour of people with dementia and their initial refusal as well as their holding low-threshold support service in low esteem can hinder the utilisation of these services. Low-threshold support service within the scope of the long-term care insurance law can be separated into two types: low-cost (non-professional) services and high-cost services with comprehensive training for ‘employed’ volunteers (professional). Both types are constantly developing within the landscape of the German long-term care system, and low-threshold support service appears to be adapted to diverse needs. Therefore, it is important to avoid replacing non-professional services with professional services.

Patterns of Support Service, Emergency Department, and Hospital Utilization in Patients with Advanced Cancer: A Descriptive Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-39
Author(s):  
Caitlyn H. McNaughton ◽  
Michael Horst ◽  
Emily Gehron ◽  
Shanthi Sivendran ◽  
Julie Nguyen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Advanced Cancer ◽  
Support Services ◽  
Severe Disease ◽  
Community Setting ◽  
Retrospective Chart Review ◽  
Support Service ◽  
Advanced Cancer Patients ◽  
Individual Support ◽  
Nurse Navigator ◽  
Ed Visits

Context: Palliative care in oncology provides multiple benefits, however access to specialty palliative clinicians is limited in community cancer centers. Individual support services are more often available, but little is known on the utilization and impact of these services. Objectives: To describe the utilization of outpatient support services in the advanced cancer population and the association with ED and hospital use in a community setting. Methods: A retrospective chart review of 314 patients with advanced cancer of lung, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, and gynecologic origin was conducted. Data collected included demographics, descriptive data, type and number of support services (symptom management, nurse navigator, social worker, nutrition, financial counselor, chaplain, and oncology clinical counselor) within 90 days of diagnosis and descriptions of ED visits/hospitalizations within 12 months of diagnosis. Support services were available to patients by referral. Results: 29.6% of patients were deceased within 6 months and were considered to have severe disease. Patients with severe disease had a significantly greater mean number of support services than patients with non-severe disease (8.9 vs 6.0, p=0.001) and had a greater mean number of visits per year to the ED (6.4 vs 1.8, p<0.001). A greater proportion of patients with severe disease had palliative consultations (48.9% vs 21.7%, p<0.001), but 65.5% of palliative consultations occurred after an ED or hospital visit. Conclusion: Our data demonstrated that advanced cancer patients with severe disease had increased healthcare utilization in all areas measured. Despite high utilization, outpatient support services used in a reactive manner were not effective in reducing ED or hospital visits.

Upping the ante!: The training and status of foster carers in Queensland

2005 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 25-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Butcher
Keyword(s):  
Foster Care ◽  
Foster Care System ◽  
Key Informants ◽  
Doctoral Research ◽  
Improved Outcomes ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Education Training ◽  
Outcomes For Children ◽  
Training And Support ◽  
Care System

This paper presents key findings from current North Queensland doctoral research on the topic of foster carer education, training and support. Sixty-one interviews were conducted with Indigenous, non-Indigenous and relative foster carers and a broad range of other ‘key informants’. Research findings presented indicate the need for more highly specialised and accredited training for foster carers than currently exists in Queensland, and argues for the professionalisation of foster care linked to increased payments and improved support for foster carers. The paper concludes that such changes in the current foster care system are crucial if foster carers are to be recruited to, and retained in, the role and, more importantly, for there to be much improved outcomes for children in statutory care.

scholarly journals Family Foster Care: Let's Not Throw the Baby Out with the Bathwater

2017 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 217-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominic McSherry ◽  
Montserrat Fargas Malet
Keyword(s):  
Foster Care ◽  
Positive Outcomes ◽  
Basic Premise ◽  
Journal Editors ◽  
Family Foster Care ◽  
Outcomes For Children ◽  
At Home

In 2014, an article written by Dr Frank Ainsworth and Patricia Hansen was published in Children Australia entitled ‘Family foster care: Can it survive the evidence?’ The basic premise of the article was that evidence indicates family foster care either doesn't change the likelihood of positive outcomes for children, or makes it more difficult for positive outcomes to be achieved. Essentially, the view was that foster care is a risk to children in much the same way as there is a risk for children remaining at home with abusive or neglectful parents. As such, the authors stated that there should be a reduction in the use of family foster care, and increased efforts to keep children at home with supports. This article only came to our attention recently, and we had some issues with the conclusions that were drawn by the authors, particularly in terms of the evidence that is used to support their proposition. We were kindly offered an opportunity by the journal editors to submit this responding article.

Maintaining sustainable performance in operating petroleum assets via a lean-six-sigma approach

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.M. Chandima Ratnayake ◽  
Osman Chaudry
Keyword(s):  
Performance Improvement ◽  
Support Services ◽  
Petroleum Industry ◽  
Support Service ◽  
Lean Six Sigma ◽  
Sustainable Operations ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Value Stream ◽  
Sustainable Performance

Purpose This paper aims to demonstrate the possibility of maintaining triple bottom line (TBL) sustainable performance in the petroleum industry via a case study. In particular, it presents the utilization of a lean-six-sigma (LSS) concept for investigating one of the underperforming support service activities in an engineering contractor (EC) and to indicate how LSS concepts enable the barriers to maintaining sustainable petroleum operations to be reduced for maintaining sustainable petroleum operations. Design/methodology/approach A case study has been carried out in an EC organization in relation to one of the support services (i.e. valves requisition process [VRP]) to demonstrate how LSS concepts enable the barriers to maintaining sustainable petroleum operations to be reduced for maintaining sustainable petroleum operations. Value stream mapping (VSM) and value stream analysis (VSA) have been utilized to investigate the barriers that inhibit sustainable operations. VSM and VSA have been performed to investigate the underperforming activities in the selected support service (i.e. VRP) using a current state map. After performing VSA, a future state map has been developed, indicating possible improvements in overall TBL sustainable performance. Findings VSM and VSA enable the barriers to maintaining TBL sustainable operations in the petroleum industry to be investigated, while minimizing waste in the ECs and asset owners’ organizations. Research limitations/implications The study has been limited to ECs’ support services, which have been delivered based on asset operators’ requirements. Practical implications The suggested LSS approach and related analysis help practicing engineers to perform similar analysis for different engineering support services. Improved performance in support service results minimize health, safety and environmental challenges in asset operations, and the resulting waste reduction increases the return on investments. Social implications Effective delivery of the assessments minimizes potential delays in projects related to petroleum operations, mitigating future accidents. It enhances the TBL sustainable performance of an asset-intensive industrial organization. Originality/value This manuscript addresses the inherent TBL sustainable performance challenges in the petroleum industry that have been caused by delayed projects. The responsibilities of projects’ delivery are mainly attributed to ECs. The EC organizations are operating in project mode, and projects delays are inherently caused by the frequently changing nature of: operators’ requirements; suppliers’ and/or manufacturers’ capabilities and restrictions; and lack of standardization in documentation and work processes (i.e. because of different engineering projects’ demands). Hence, this manuscript illustrates a methodology to demonstrate the possibility of TBL sustainable performance improvement in the petroleum industry via a case study (i.e. VRP-related project delivery performance improvement) in an EC organization utilizing the lean concept.

scholarly journals Students’ Assessment of Open Distance Learning Programmes and Services in Nigeria: A Comparative Description of Three Selected Distance Learning Institutions

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 191-208
Author(s):  
Sunday A. Itasanmi ◽  
Mathew T. Oni ◽  
Omobola O. Adelore
Keyword(s):  
Distance Learning ◽  
Support Services ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Support Service ◽  
Technical Support ◽  
Educational Resources ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Open And Distance Learning ◽  
Descriptive Survey

This study reported students' assessment of open and distance learning programmes and services vis-à-vis teaching and learning experience, educational resources, technical support service and infrastructural facilities in ODL institutions in Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design and the participants for the study comprised of 719 students randomly drawn from three purposively selected ODL institutions in Nigeria. A semi-structured questionnaire was used as an instrument for the study. Quantitative data generated from the survey were analysed using frequency counts, percentages, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) while the qualitative data was content analysed. Result of the study showed that students enrol in open and distance learning programmes majorly as a result of the flexibility in learning. While students relatively rate their teaching & learning experience, educational resources and available infrastructural facilities in their universities good, they, however, rate technical support services provided in the ODL institutions as being poor. A comparative analysis of the students’ assessment in the three institutions revealed that there exists a statistically significant difference in teaching & learning experiences, available educational resources, technical support services and infrastructural facilities in the institutions. Based on the findiings of the study, some recommendation were made.

scholarly journals THE CHOICE BETWEEN ADOPTION AND FOSTER CARE AS CHILD PROTECTION RESPONSES

2015 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Gay
Keyword(s):  
Foster Care ◽  
Home Care ◽  
Child Protection ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Number Of Children ◽  
Out Of Home Care ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Australian State ◽  
Outcomes For Children

Child protection systems in Australia are struggling to cope with the growing number of children requiring out-of-home care because of abuse or neglect occurring within families. Professionals and governments are grappling with the alternative care options that are available in an attempt to improve children’s health, education and emotional development. Research demonstrates that children suffer if they are exposed to multiple placements throughout childhood and this leads some to believe that the permanency of adoption would better serve the needs of children from broken families. This article considers the recent proposal by the South Australian State Coroner to expand the role of adoption as a child protection response, noting that New South Wales introduced such a model in 2014. It also examines international approaches in this area as well as the findings of studies into foster care and adoption. By drawing together the knowledge gained from different policy and practice approaches to out-of-home care, this article argues that introducing a blanket approach favouring adoption is not an appropriate option. It concludes that the only model likely to achieve the best outcomes for children is one involving individual responses to every child.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document