Using census data Peter Siminski, Jenny Chalmers and Marilyn McHugh find that foster carers are most likely to be women aged 35-54 years who are not in the labour force. Of the various family types (adjusted for age), couples with birth children are least likely to foster. Couples with birth children account for two-fifths of...

Research suggests that access to children's services may be an important factor in preventing young children at risk of harm from moving further into the welfare system. However, there is little empirical evidence available to indicate whether the use of such services prevents children at risk from moving further into the welfare system. The Department...