Child Protection Workers’ Perceptions of Foster Carers and the Foster Care System: A Study in Queensland

Abstract

Child protection workers are key players in the statutory system for the protection of children and young people. For this reason, their perceptions of the operation of the system are important. The present study, conduced in Queensland, Australia, explored the views of child protection workers regarding foster carers and the foster care system. This study revealed the difficulties the child protection workers encountered in engaging with foster carers. These difficulties were due to the structure of the child protection system and the conflicts experienced by workers in balancing the needs of children and young people, their primary clients, and the carers of those children and young people. Several recommendations for policy and practice are made.

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