A STRATEGY TO BETTER A STRATEGY TO BETTER RECRUIT AND RETAIN RECRUIT AND RETAIN FOSTER CARERS IN FOSTER CARERS IN

VICTORIAVICTORIA

Sunitha Raman Director, Strategic Projects

Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare, Melbourne

presentation outlinepresentation outline• About the Centre and our foster care About the Centre and our foster care

connectionconnection

• Issues faced in recruitment and retentionIssues faced in recruitment and retention

• Outline of the FCCRS projectOutline of the FCCRS project

• What our research tells usWhat our research tells us

• What we have done so farWhat we have done so far

about the centreabout the centre

• Victoria-based peak body Victoria-based peak body • Mission: Leadership and excellence in Mission: Leadership and excellence in

child, youth and family services child, youth and family services • Incorporated in 1912 – we are 96!Incorporated in 1912 – we are 96!• 95 member organisations across 95 member organisations across

VictoriaVictoria• Advocacy; Policy and research; Advocacy; Policy and research;

Strategic Projects; Learning and Strategic Projects; Learning and Development; Membership ServicesDevelopment; Membership Services

the foster care the foster care connectionconnection

• State-wide foster carer recruitment State-wide foster carer recruitment programprogram

• Funded since 1991 by DHSFunded since 1991 by DHS• Focus on publicity and promotion of Focus on publicity and promotion of

foster care to the Victorian communityfoster care to the Victorian community• 1800 hotline offering information and 1800 hotline offering information and

referral servicereferral service• Average about 1,000 to 1,200 calls Average about 1,000 to 1,200 calls

from the public per yearfrom the public per year

problems encountered problems encountered • Decreasing interest/response from the public Decreasing interest/response from the public

• Less than 10% conversion rateLess than 10% conversion rate

• Increasing attrition of existing carersIncreasing attrition of existing carers

• Negative perception about children requiring Negative perception about children requiring foster carefoster care

• Increasingly complex children entering careIncreasingly complex children entering care

the fccrs projectthe fccrs project• Initiated in June 2006Initiated in June 2006

• One-off funding of $500K from the One-off funding of $500K from the GovernmentGovernment

• Aims:Aims:– Develop a 3 to 5 year strategy to improve the Develop a 3 to 5 year strategy to improve the

recruitment and retention of carers in the Staterecruitment and retention of carers in the State– Develop appropriate tools to assist in this Develop appropriate tools to assist in this

processprocess

Research

Database

Best Practice Projects

Market research

Foster Care Communicationand

Recruitment Strategy

product development

Ongoing campaign

research dataresearch data

• Number of foster carers is decliningNumber of foster carers is declining– Over 40% decline from 97/98 to 01/02.Over 40% decline from 97/98 to 01/02.

• Number of children in care is Number of children in care is increasingincreasing– 56% increase from 1996 to 200456% increase from 1996 to 2004

research data – research data – mainstream CSOsmainstream CSOs

• 32% of young people placed in care for the first 32% of young people placed in care for the first timetime

• Across the state, it was difficult to place a third Across the state, it was difficult to place a third of children referred to foster care initially.of children referred to foster care initially.

• Overwhelming reason is ‘not enough carers’Overwhelming reason is ‘not enough carers’• The hardest to place groups were males aged The hardest to place groups were males aged

6-13 years6-13 years• Sexualised behaviour and difficult behaviour - Sexualised behaviour and difficult behaviour -

most common reason influencing ability to most common reason influencing ability to place childrenplace children

research data – research data – mainstream CSOsmainstream CSOs

• 2/3 of organisations made placements 2/3 of organisations made placements under pressureunder pressure

• At least 1,000 more carers are required to At least 1,000 more carers are required to allow appropriate matching of children and allow appropriate matching of children and carerscarers

• High levels of dissatisfaction amongst High levels of dissatisfaction amongst carerscarers

• Changes in rules and functioning of the Changes in rules and functioning of the foster care system is needed to improve foster care system is needed to improve retention.retention.

research data – ACCOSresearch data – ACCOS

• High demand for carers across most High demand for carers across most categoriescategories

• Significant barriers to recruitment:Significant barriers to recruitment:– Insufficient reimbursementInsufficient reimbursement– Lack of access to cultural activitiesLack of access to cultural activities– Fear of negative fall back from child’s Fear of negative fall back from child’s

familyfamily– Current payments not enough to meet Current payments not enough to meet

demands and needs of children demands and needs of children

research data – ACCOsresearch data – ACCOs

• ‘‘Word of mouth’ recruitment is the Word of mouth’ recruitment is the most successful approachmost successful approach

• Very high expectations on ACCOs to Very high expectations on ACCOs to deliver training without effective deliver training without effective supportsupport

• Retention is very closely linked to the Retention is very closely linked to the level of support provided to carerslevel of support provided to carers

market researchmarket research

Awareness levelsAwareness levels

Base: Total Sample (N = 2000)Q. Have you heard of Foster Care?

i

Nearly all Victorians say they are aware of Nearly all Victorians say they are aware of Foster CareFoster Care

i

Aware of Foster Care, 95%

NOT Aware of Foster Care, 5%

Base: Total Sample (N = 2000)Q. Where do you recall seeing or hearing something about Foster Care?

i

The key sources of awareness of Foster The key sources of awareness of Foster Care are advertising on TV and through Care are advertising on TV and through word of mouth from someone with word of mouth from someone with experience of Foster Careexperience of Foster Care

i

43%

33%

23%

2%

14%

18%

9%

7%

2%

21%

35%

Advertising on TV

Current Affairs or Program on TV

Program on TV

Advertising somewhere else

Advertising in the Newspaper

Article in the Newspaper

Brochures

Website

Online blogs or forums

Word of Mouth someone without experienceof Foster Care

Word of Mouth from someone WITHexperience of Foster Care

Base: Total Sample (N = 2000)Q. How likely would you be to consider becoming a Foster Carer at some point in the future?

i

Five percent indicated that they were very Five percent indicated that they were very likely to consider becoming a foster carer likely to consider becoming a foster carer in the future, with 1 in 5 likely to consider. in the future, with 1 in 5 likely to consider.

i

5%

16%

41%

20% 18%

Very likely toconsider

Fairly likely toconsider

Not sure Fairly unlikely toconsider

Very unlikely toconsider

i Those in the Gay and Lesbian community Those in the Gay and Lesbian community showed a slightly higher propensity to showed a slightly higher propensity to consider becoming a Foster Carer.consider becoming a Foster Carer.

i

5% 7% 11%6% 5%

29%24%

17% 15% 15%

34% 31% 28%21% 20%

Gay and LesbianCommunity

Migrant CommunityIndigenous Community

Other communityNot stated

Very Likely to Consider Fairly Likely to Consider Combined

i

Those with lower incomes were slightly Those with lower incomes were slightly more likely to consider Foster Care, with more likely to consider Foster Care, with around 1 in 10 of those earning under around 1 in 10 of those earning under $30,000 being very likely to consider.$30,000 being very likely to consider.

i

9%5% 5% 5% 4% 5%

15% 18% 15% 18% 18%13%

24% 23% 20% 23% 22%17%

< $30,000 $30,000 to$49,999

$50,000 to$74,999

$75,000 to$99,999

$100,000 to$149,999

>$150,000

Very Likely to Consider Fairly Likely to Consider Combined

Base: Foster Care Considerers (N = 415)Q. And what type of care specifically would you be likely to consider?

i

•When considering the types of Foster Care When considering the types of Foster Care around two thirds of those that would around two thirds of those that would consider becoming a foster carer said they consider becoming a foster carer said they were likely to consider Respite or Short were likely to consider Respite or Short Term care.Term care.

•Only a third considered undertaking Long Only a third considered undertaking Long Term Care.Term Care.

i

60%

67%

36%

8%

Respite Care

Short Term Care

Long Term Care

Don't Know

Base: Foster Care Considerers (N = 415)Q. And how would you prefer to receive information about Foster Care?

i

The preferred methods for receiving The preferred methods for receiving information were via a website, brochures information were via a website, brochures or an information session with an or an information session with an organisation that organises Foster Care.organisation that organises Foster Care.

i

43%

49%

58%

11%

25%

28%

2%

1%

4%

Information Session with an org thatorganises Foster Care

Brochures

Website

Online blogs or forums

Phone conversation with an org thatorganises Foster Care

A visit from someone with experiencein Foster Care

Other

Prefer not to receive information

Don’t Know

Base: Total Sample (N = 2000)Q. How would you describe your household type or structure…

i

Foster Care considerers were slightly more Foster Care considerers were slightly more likely to be those with children. likely to be those with children.

i

51%

8%

16% 16%

3%

47%

11%

19%16%

5% 3%6%

Family withchildren

Single withchildren

Couple, nochildren

Single, nochildren

Couple,children no longer

at home

Single, Childrenno longer

at home

Total Foster Care Considerers

i

There was a slightly higher proportion of There was a slightly higher proportion of Foster Care considers in in the Gay and Foster Care considers in in the Gay and Lesbian community and Migrant Lesbian community and Migrant community.community.

i

3%7%

1% 3%5%11%

1% 3%

80%86%

Gay and Lesbian Migrant Indigenous Other Not stated

Total Foster Care Considerers

Base: Total Sample (N = 2000)Q. Which of these newspapers have you read in the last week?

i

Foster Care considerers were more likely to Foster Care considerers were more likely to have read the Herald Sun or Local have read the Herald Sun or Local Newspaper than other papers.Newspaper than other papers.

i

58%

37%

34%

32%

15%

15%

6%

4%

3%

15%

63%

44%

35%

31%

15%

13%

6%

6%

4%

11%

Herald Sun

Local newspaper

The Sunday Herald Sun

The Age

The Sunday Age

mX

The Australian

The Australian Financial Review

The Weekend Australian

None of these

Total Foster Care Considerers

Associations with care

Troubled children

Children with a disability

Disadvantage and desperation

High level Knowledge

Good Understanding

Understand what foster care is about

Information base

Connect to the Issue

Fact Finders (15%)

Not connected to care

Informed Considerers (5%)

Connected to care

Associations with care

From a disadvantaged/broken family

Children who need stability

Safety and growth

Connect to the Solution

Low level knowledge

Basic Understanding

Unsure what foster care is

Information base

News

Current Affair shows

Advertisements

Where knowledge comes from

Friends/family

Own occupation

self

Where knowledge comes from

Not qualified to care

Lack relevant info

May do more harm than good

Fears

Foster Care Considers - 20% of Victorian Population

Basic information tool kit

Building understanding & insight

Information needs

Desperate system

Not eligible to care

Lack of support

Lack of training

Being alone as carers

Fears

It takes all kinds to care

Fostering brighter futures

Communication Messages

Training

Support and counseling in the role

Learning how to detach

Information needs

Foster care – a partnership in caring

Fostering brighter futures

Communication Messages

Associations with care Troubled children Children with a disability Disadvantage and desperation

High level Knowledge Good Understanding Understand what foster

care is

Information base

Connect to the Issue

Fact Finders (15%)Not connected to care

Informed Considerers (5%)Connected to care

Associations with care From a disadvantaged/broken family Children who need stability Safety and growth

Connect to the Solution

Low level knowledge Basic Understanding Unsure re: foster care

Information base

News Current Affair shows Advertisements

knowledge source Friends/family Own occupation

self

Knowledge source

Not qualified to care Lack relevant info May do more harm than good

Fears

Foster Care Considers - 20% of Victorian Population

Basic information tool kit Building understanding & insight

Information needs

Desperate system Not eligible to care

Lack of support Lack of training Being alone as carers

Fears

It takes all kinds to care

Fostering brighter futures

Communication Messages

Training Support and counselling in the role Learning how to detach

Information needs

Foster care – a partnership in caring

Fostering brighter futures

Communication Messages

communication prioritiescommunication priorities• Addressing the ‘fear’ about foster care.Addressing the ‘fear’ about foster care.

• Providing consistent information about Providing consistent information about foster care.foster care.

• Hitting target audiences more regularly.Hitting target audiences more regularly.

building in effective building in effective measuresmeasures

• Driving people into the recruitment Driving people into the recruitment process.process.

• Progressing people through the Progressing people through the recruitment process.recruitment process.

• Increasing retention rate.Increasing retention rate.

focus messages onfocus messages on• Making a difference to lives of children.Making a difference to lives of children.

• Emphasise rewards, upfront about the challenges.Emphasise rewards, upfront about the challenges.

• Be honest and realistic. Be honest and realistic.

• Manage expectations.Manage expectations.

• Be clear and concise.Be clear and concise.

• Address the key information needs of the audience.Address the key information needs of the audience.

• Be supported by case studiesBe supported by case studies

do not focus messages do not focus messages onon

• A negative premiseA negative premise

(i.e. desperate need for carers).(i.e. desperate need for carers).

• Reinforce negative perceptions about the Reinforce negative perceptions about the children in care.children in care.

• Paint an unrealistic picture of life as a Paint an unrealistic picture of life as a carer.carer.

core materialscore materials• WebsiteWebsite

DVDDVD

CSACSA

Brochure / Promotional Brochure / Promotional posterposter

Referrer kitReferrer kit

Relationship ladder

Referrers

Good carers

Occasional carersProspec

tsTargets

Rest of world

where are we headingwhere are we heading