Family Links: Kinship care and family contact

• 
  
  Dr Meredith Kiraly, MBSc PhD

  mkiraly@unimelb.edu.au

  View researcher's webpage

  +61 400 913659

Project Details

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child declares that children removed from home have a right to continuing contact with their family as consistent with their best interests. However, such contact may be challenging, given protective issues that have led to children’s removal. This research project explored issues involved and factors that might enhance children’s contact with their parents and other family members. It comprised a survey of kinship carers, and focus groups and interviews with children, parents, caregivers and support workers. It included a nested study of family contact in Indigenous kinship care.

Download the Project Brief ((DOC 82.0 KB))

Researchers

• Professor Cathy Humphreys
• Dr Meredith Kiraly

Funding

• Department of Human Services (Victoria)
• R E Ross Trust
• Office of Child Safety Commissioner (Victoria)
• Department of Families, Housing, Community Services & Indigenous Affairs (Australian Government)
• Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare

Research Outcomes

Journal articles

Kiraly, M. and C. Humphreys (2013). Family Contact for Children in Kinship Care: A Literature Review. Australian Social Work 66(3): 358-374.

Kiraly, M., & Humphreys, C. (2013) Perspectives from young people about family contact in kinship care: ‘Don’t push us – listen more’. Australian Social Work 66(3): 314-327.

Kiraly, M., & Humphreys, C.  (2015) A tangled web: Parental contact with children in kinship care. Child and Family Social Work (20): 106-115.

Kiraly, M., James, J. and Humphreys, C.  (2015) ‘It’s a family responsibility’: Family and cultural connection for Aboriginal children in kinship care.  Children Australia 40(1): 23-32.

Kiraly, M. and C. Humphreys (2014). ‘It’s about the whole family’: family contact for children in kinship care. Child and Family Social Work 21(2): 228-239.

Kiraly, M. and Humphreys, C. (2013). Policy briefing paper: Kinship Care and Family Contact Developing Practice 35(Winter): 68-74.

Research reports

Kiraly, M., & Humphreys, C. (2011).  Breaking the rules: Children and young people in kinship care speak about contact with their families.  Report 1  
Melbourne: Office of the Child Safety Commissioner and University of Melbourne.

Kiraly, M., & Humphreys, C. (2011).  ‘It is the story of all of us’: Learning from Aboriginal communities about supporting family connection.  Report 2
Melbourne: Office of the Child Safety Commissioner and University of Melbourne.

Kiraly, M., & Humphreys, C. (2011).‘Look at it from the parent's point of view as well’:  Messages about good practice from parents of children in kinship care.  Report 3
Melbourne: Office of the Child Safety Commissioner and University of Melbourne.

Kiraly, M., Humphreys, C. and Hoadley, D. (2012). ‘They need that connection’: Kinship carers and support staff speak about contact between children and their families.  Report 4 Melbourne: University of Melbourne and Office of the Child Safety Commissioner.