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Looking After Children in Barnardos Australia: A study of the early stages of implementation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 February 2016

Deirdre Dixon
Deirdre Dixon*
Affiliation:
Barnardos Waverley Centre and the LAC ProjectGPO Box 9996, Sydney, NSW 2001. Fax: 02 9281 0441. Email: ddixon@barnardos.org.au
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Abstract

Looking After Children (LAC), a case management system for children in out-of-home care, has been the subject of pilot implementation in several Australian states. Barnardos Australia, in association with the University of NSW, implemented LAC in all of its out-of-home care programs as part of an Australian Research Council (ARC) research grant, in 1997–99.

This study looks at the factors affecting implementation of Looking After Children in Barnardos Australia out-of-home care programs during the initial twelve month period (1997–98). Information collected from interviews with eleven program managers, and examination of records containing LAC material on casework files, are used to explore factors which assisted or impeded LAC implementation. Similarities are highlighted between UK and Australian experiences of LAC implementation, and issues are raised of significance to agencies considering using LAC.

Type
Research Article
Information
Children Australia , Volume 26 , Issue 3 , 2001 , pp. 27 - 32
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2001

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