Core Principles for Working
with
Children and Youth in Out of Home Care
Trauma-Informed Care
- Recognize the impact of trauma on development and behavior.
- Prioritize safety, trust, and empowerment in all interactions.
Child-Centered and Strengths-Based Approach
- Focus on the child’s unique needs, preferences, and cultural
background.
- Build on their strengths rather than deficits.
Cultural Competence and Responsiveness
- Respect and incorporate the
child’s cultural, racial, ethnic, and religious identity.
- Acknowledge the overrepresentation of marginalized groups (e.g.,
Indigenous, Black, LGBTQIA+ youth) in care systems.
Child Centred Strengths-Based Approaches
- Focus on the child's strengths, protective factors, and
resilience rather than just their deficits and challenges.
- Use positive and empowering language, and help children identify
and build on their skills and abilities.
Relationships-Focused Care
- Building stable, consistent, and trusting relationships is
essential for a child's emotional stability and healthy development.
- Practitioners should focus on developing genuine, empathetic
relationships with the children and youth they serve.
Stability and
Continuity of Care
- Minimise placement disruptions to foster secure
attachments.
- Support connections with siblings, birth families (when
safe), and community.
- Provide consistency in staffing and care to foster a sense of
security and stability, which is often lacking in the lives of
children in out-of-home care.
Culturally Safe Care
- Recognize and respect the child's cultural identity, heritage,
and community connections.
- Ensure that placements are culturally safe and that children can
maintain connections to their family, culture, and communities.
Rights-Based Practice
- Uphold the child’s
rights under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).
- Ensure participation in decisions affecting their lives.
Family and
Community Engagement
- Promote family reunification when possible and
safe.
- Strengthen ties with extended family and community supports.
Resilience and Future Preparedness
- Support education, life skills, and
emotional coping strategies.
- Prepare youth for independent living
through transitional programs.
