Out Of Home Care

Children and young people have spoken about their experiences of the out of home care (OOHC) system across a range of ACYP consultations including those conducted for the Strategic Plan for Children and Young People; as well as consultations with children and young people experiencing homelessness, consultations in juvenile detention, consultations with children and young people about violence, and with socially excluded children and young people.

ACYP undertook a targeted consultation as part of the Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies Conference (ACWA) 2018. ACYP held a one day conference for 39 children and young people with experiences of living in out of home care (OOHC). The children and young people came together from all across the state to participate in face-to-face consultations to share their experiences of being in care, how the service system has both met and not met their needs and where they would like to see improvements in the system.


On 21 August 2018 as part of the Association of Children’s Welfare Conference 2018, The Advocate for Children and Young People held a one day conference for young people with experiences of living in out of home care (OOHC). Forty young people came together from across NSW to share their experiences of being in care, how the service system has both met and not met their needs, and where they would like to see improvements in the system. At the end of the day a summary of the answers to each of the questions was presented back to the audience attending the main conference by two of the young people.

What is working well

  • Transition to Independent Living Allowance
  • Leaving care plans
  • A great case worker
  • Good connection with staff
  • A safe place to stay
  • Some opportunities to have voice heard
  • Genuine foster carers
  • Funded camps, funded education
  • Being able to see family
  • Events like this

What is not working well

  • Lack of support after turning 18
  • Lack of support for children living with disability
  • Staff need more training to deal with children & young people - respect
  • Take young people’s voice seriously
  • Multiple case workers and carers
  • Have no control over workers
  • Placement tools in residential care
  • BE TRUTHFUL
  • Knowing who to go to about different things

What are the priorities?

  • Mental health
  • Life skills
  • Gender diverse care
  • Stability and Safe Environment
  • Confidentiality
  • Access to resources
  • Connection to family
  • Self harm support
  • Monitoring of carers

Courses, supports, services

  • Learning how to cook – nutrition information
  • Access to cars and learning how to drive – lessons
  • Caseworkers to have more attention and support to help with transitions
  • Life skills courses, training
  • Birth certificates, passports
  • Resumes, cover letters
  • Assistance with clothing
  • Access to counseling
  • Connection to community

What can workers do more of

  • Case workers are overloaded
  • More information about TILA –should be improved, more information on what is able to be spent
  • Case workers need to more honest and respectful
  • Information sharing should be more transparent
  • Cultural plans more than ticket a box

What information do you need

  • Knowing what information that is needed in the first place “ sent out into the world with a blind fold on”
  • Need access to internet, restrictions placed on access in residential care settings – we want access like everybody else
  • Want access to personal folders
  • Restrictions dependent on who you are, over controlling workers/carers, disability, no support systems, experiencing institutionalisation
  • National website with opportunities, policies and procedures, rights and responsibilities, grants and guidance 

What makes a good caseworker

  • Someone who respect, listens, and follows up on what is happening
  • Does not makes promises that can not keep – be honest – not give false hope
  • Goes out of their way - shows that they care
  • Gets to know you – mutual trust
  • Unbiased, friend, a person to talk to, energetic, show that they care
  • Provides essential support to help you reach your full potential
  • Does not pass judgment, acknowledge barriers
  • RESPECT – who we are but not what the case file says
  • Advocates for you and not just following the rules – individualised
  • See you as a real person not just a file