Establishing Permanency for Children - the Issues of Contact between Children in Permanent Foster Care and Their Birth Families

The Permanency Planning amendments to the NSW Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998, were intended to address the problem of a lack of stability in the lives of children who live in out-of-home care. Barnardos approach, based on research and the agency's practice experience, is that some form of contact must be considered in every care plan to meet the child or young person's need for a sense of identity through having an understanding of personal history. The level of contact that might be appropriate for children at different ages is discussed. The article draws on research and Barnardos' experience in adoption and permanent care within the Find-a-Family Program in NSW. This program specialises in placement of children who have complex needs and are 'hard to place'.