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

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.

Looking After Children: a case of individualised service delivery

“…Some of the key points for successful implementation noted by Phillips and Worlock (1996/97: 47) include a clear focus on the needs of the child or young person, the importance of facilitating an active partnership of all key players in the child's life, and the issue of accountability: there must be clarity about 'what needs to be done and who is doing it'. Other articles (Dixon and Morwitzer 2001a, Dixon 2001b, Donovan and Ayres 1998) are more oriented to what service management needs to do in order both to manage the introduction of LAC and, since LAC impacts on the organization and design of work, to manage change. Dixon and Morwitzer (2001a: 6) argue that there must be a strategy for organizational change: planning should begin long before workers and carers are expected to use LAC (Dixon 2001b: 32).…”

“…Jackson (1998) Owen, in Owen, Jones and Corrick (1998) Ward (1996) Ward (1998a and (1998b) Wise (1999) and (2003) Dixon (2001a) and (2001b) Donovan and Ayres (1998) Jones and Corrick in Owen, Jones and Corrick (1998) Jones and Norrman in Jones, Clark, Kufeldt andNorrman (1998) Kearns, in Kearns with Bernice andMargaret (1996) Morwitzer in Dixon and Morwitzer, (2001a;2001b) Murphy and Phillips (1998) Phillips and Worlock (1996/97) Critiques Bell (1998/99) Garrett (1999b Munro (2001) Knight and Caveney (1998) Garrett (1999a) Our methodology For this reason the jurisdictions of England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and maybe Sweden are likely to contribute to this promise.…”