A recent Queensland Family and Child Commission report warns that the state's over-reliance on residential care has driven costs from around AUD 200 million in 2015 to AUD 1.12 billion in 2024, and without systemic reform, expenses could skyrocket to as much as AUD 7 billion annually by 2030.

This article examines why reunification rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care in New South Wales, Australia remain so low, despite being the preferred permanency option. Drawing on insights from practitioners, it highlights the need for culturally grounded approaches and a redefinition of reunification that centers ongoing family and community connections.

This study explores how trust is built within the Mockingbird Family foster care model in Australia, based on interviews with children, carers, and care networks. Findings show that trust emerges through daily interactions, collaboration, and organizational and political support, rather than being a fixed trait. The study highlights the importance of relationship-centered, interconnected approaches to reimagining foster care.

"Ordinary People, Extraordinary Hearts" is an on-demand training program designed to support kinship carers in Australia in creating safe, nurturing, and healing environments for children and young people in their care.

In the Solomon Islands, a whole-of-nation approach has been launched to tackle escalating child protection challenges through the Child and Family Welfare System Multi-Sectoral Implementation Plan (2025–2030).

This study explores how caseworkers in Australia’s out-of-home care system balance children’s right to participate in decisions with concerns about risk and trauma. Findings show that while participation is valued, caseworkers often limit or delay it due to fears of destabilizing placements or harming children’s wellbeing, highlighting the need for more reflexive approaches to strengthen participatory practice.

The Solomon Island's Child and Family Welfare Act 2017 signalled a strong commitment from the government to strengthen national efforts to prevent and respond to violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of children. This Multi-Sectoral Implementation Plan 2025–2030 outline's the government's plan to improve services to strengthen family and community caring practices and to ensure a timely and appropriate response to all children in need of care and protection.

This project explored the experiences of young people in Australia living in ‘therapeutic residential care’ to understand what helps or hinders them in building trust and feeling safe. Drawing on interviews and surveys, it shares insights directly from the young people about what works well and what could be improved.

A scoping review of 31 studies (2013–2023) examined why children and young people in out-of-home care in Australia spend unauthorised time away from placements. Findings show these absences often reflect efforts to seek safety, stability, connection, autonomy, and belonging, highlighting systemic shortcomings and the need for youth-informed practices that address needs both in care and while away.

After last year’s budget cuts to social services, including a NZ$14 million cut to early home visits, social services providers in New Zealand raised concerns about what the move would mean for children and families needing support.