Editorial

While this collection of papers on family partnering was in development, life within children’s residential services was very different from the present reality. Arrival of the COVID19 pandemic has impacted residential programs for children, young people and their families around the globe in myriad ways. Anecdotally, we learn that virtual communication has improved regularity of contact and enhanced connectedness between some children and their families. However, for others, social distancing and isolation have proved challenging and re-triggered past trauma. Serious illness in family members, caregivers and teachers has been greatly distressing; too often this culminates in intense grief with the loss of loved ones. Such experiences can create even greater obstacles to repairing family disruption and healing trauma than those evident prior to the pandemic.

Papers included in this special issue of Residential Treatment for Children and Youth address effective partnering with families in residential care programs operating within child welfare systems in Australia and the United States. Collectively, the approaches described appear consistent with the rationale underpinning the Family Engagement Inventory (FEI) Child Welfare theme (Children’s Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, US Department of Health and Human Services, 2015):

‘ … meaningful family engagement contributes not only to the well-being of the child and the family, but also to the well-being of the community’.

The FEI standpoint has much in common with privileging of family partnering within the International Consensus Statement on Therapeutic Residential Care (Whittaker et al., 2016); the essence of this is encapsulated in the following excerpts:

‘Our vision of therapeutic residential care is integrally linked with the spirit of partnership between the families we seek to serve and our total staff complement. … (that is) to strive constantly to forge and maintain strong and vital family linkages …. Effective and humane therapeutic residential care is best seen as a support to families who are struggling, rather than as a substitute for families who have failed (Geurts et al., 2012).’

The robust conviction manifest in these and similar contemporary sources, along with a burgeoning international literature, suggest that the sector is largely persuaded of the importance of family partnering to achievement of best practice and good outcomes from residential care. However, papers in this Special Issue reveal that important challenges remain in developing, resourcing and implementing effective family partnering in the field. True partnering, beyond superficial engagement, with families is a sensitive and complex practice. It draws upon advanced skill sets within staff. More importantly, it requires a programmatic culture characterized by trust, respect, and empowerment, along with promotion of agency and equity in relationships.

Papers included in the Special Issue manifest inspiring challenges to an unhelpful status quo which too often marginalizes the family and is dismissive of its members who possess a unique expertise about their child. The family is almost always a key resource in achieving positive change. As is frequently argued within the body of work assembled here, ‘families are forever’. Family, in whichever combination of kith and/or kin that makes sense for the young person, usually endures long after what is, across a lifetime, relatively brief engagement with a residential program. In many instances, young people seek out their families upon discharge from residential care, in spite of residential workers often discouraging such family involvement, based on perceptions of unacceptable risk. Adoption of a dichotomous stance that either targets or dismisses family reunification on a 24/7 basis is not realistic. Unsupported attempts at full-time reunification initiated by either the family or the young person can confront insurmountable challenge. Preexisting trauma and conflicts may be re-triggered, tragically resulting in irrevocable disruption and alienation. Creative ‘middle ground’ approaches to forging ongoing family relationships are more likely to be successful; these frequently do not involve family members living together fulltime. It is convincingly argued in the papers presented here, that staff should seize the opportunity created by a residential stay to partner with families toward healing past trauma and conflicts and building new skills. This can assist families to move forward post-residential care, embracing ‘new normal’ ways of being together in mutually supportive and resilient relationships. Those relationships will necessarily be best facilitated by the adoption of roles, structures and routines that complement each family’s culture and resources.

The first paper in this Special Issue is contributed by Alexandra Trout and colleagues from the United States. It outlines an innovative approach to effective partnering with families to ensure best possible outcomes from reunification efforts with a focus on reintegrating with school. Evidence presented suggests that this program has many positive impacts on families including improvements on parent/guardian self-efficacy and young people’s engagement with school and the community, with considerable potential for generalizability. The Australian research paper by Patricia McNamara which follows, reports on a national scoping study of family partnering in therapeutic residential care. Key findings affirm support for innovative approaches to family partnering; trust building and respect for families from the outset is considered vital along with creative interventions, such as whole family admissions. Increase in effective family partnering within Australian residential care will require improved resourcing (in areas such as staffing levels, clinical supervision, professional development and caseload adjustment) along with family inclusive policy and programmatic approaches.

The other two papers in this Special Issue are case studies contributed by experienced Australian managers and therapeutic specialists in residential care, from yourtown’s San Miguel program and Mackillop Family Services. The case studies are each firmly grounded in specific fields of practice. The first presents an innovative family admissions program for young parents and their children at protective risk in Sydney, New South Wales; the second describes work with families of children and young people living in small therapeutic residential care houses. The latter program operates within a Sanctuary-aligned child and family welfare organization operating across several states of Australia. Each paper delivers a thorough and realistic appraisal of opportunities embraced and challenges confronted in partnering effectively with families. The Editors commend the rare insights embedded in these richly detailed and inspiring case studies to family members, carers, managers, therapists, and researchers.

We live in confronting and uncertain times that evoke vulnerability. Each day manifests the power of relationships, especially supportive family relationships, to make a positive difference. There would seem no more opportune time to mount the strongest possible argument that we must ‘seize the moment’ of a residential stay to strengthen families and heal trauma. That stay too often presents one last opportunity to support families in forging the strongest possible bonds with children in the care system. Ultimately, it is the long-acknowledged birthright of every child to bond securely with family, in whatever way that works to support their best interests and optimum development (UN General Assembly, 1989).