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.

This paper reports on a national policy analysis in Australia exploring how therapeutic residential care (TRC) is constructed in policy documents. One hundred and thirty-two relevant policy documents were analysed to identify the practices and the conditions that facilitate the development of relationships and connections.

Despite Indigenous, legal, children's and human rights advocates pointing out that harsher penalties for kids don't make the community safer, the Liberal National Party says it will follow through on its election promises about youth justice.

This paper draws on the experiences of children and young people (CYP) who have self-placed in out-of-home care (OOHC) in Queensland (Australia) and the impact of that choice on their participation in decision-making.

The objective of this study was to identify additional mental and neurodevelopmental health needs of Aboriginal children born in Western Australia, who are placed in out-of-home care (OOHC), relative to Aboriginal children born in Western Australia who were not placed.

This study aims to examine how parental substance use affects outcomes of Australian children in out-of-home care, adjusting for key demographic, social and system factors.

Victoria is removing more First Nations children from their families than any other state in the country, and at almost twice the national rate, according to new data from the Productivity Commission.

A new foster care campaign has launched in Western Australia that embraces inclusivity, via Initiative Media.

The 17th session of United Nations Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous People (EMPRIP) was held in Geneva this month, highlighting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child removals.

This working paper describes the core care conditions that young children, their parents / caregivers and their families need to flourish. The paper is intended for policymakers and practitioners in Australia who are designing and delivering services and supports to young children and their families.