About mental health for children in
out of home care

Children and young people living in Out-of-Home-Care (OOHC) have increased mental health vulnerabilities due to their often-complex history, which can include neglect, trauma, attachment difficulties and exposure to in vitro drug use.

https://www.ranzcp.org/news-policy/policy-and-advocacy/position-statements/mental-health-needs-children-in-out-of-home-care

Research shows that mental health problems of children in out of home care are between 2-5 times higher than the general population, however few receive professional mental health care.[1]

A 2007 study of children and adolescents in home-based foster care found:

  • Externalising problems, such as attention problems, delinquent problems and social problems, were more common than internalising problems, such as anxiety and depression.
  • Younger children had higher rates of attention problems and social problems than older children.
  • Rates of serious suicide attempts were much higher than those reported for adolescents in the community
  • A minority of those in foster care had received professional help for their problems.[2]

A growing body of research  literature shows that with therapeutic intervention, emotional stability and security, the impacts of children’s early traumatic experiences can be overcome[3]. There is also early evidence of positive impact on young people for programs that strengthen the therapeutic capacities of carers and case managers[4].

[1] Sawyer, M., Carbone, J., Searle, A., and Robinson, P. 2007. ‘The mental health and wellbeing of children and adolescents in home-based foster care.’ The Medical journal of Australia 186(4):181-4

[2] Sawyer, M. Carbone, J., Searle, A., Robinson, P. 2007. The Mental Health and Wellbeing of Children and Adolescents in Home-Based Foster Care. The Medical Journal of Australia.

[3] Walsh, P., McHugh, M., Blunde, H., and Katz, I. 2018. ‘Pathways of Care Longitudinal Study: Outcomes of Children and Young People in Out of Home Care’ Research Report No. 6:83

[4] Herrman H, Humphreys C, Halperin S, et al. 2016. A controlled trial of implementing a complex mental health intervention for carers of vulnerable young people living in out-of-home care: the ripple project. BMC Psychiatry, 16(1):436. Accessed at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5142401/