Children’s voices guide a new model of Out of Home Care
What if children could shape the care they receive? That’s the question driving Parkerville CYC’s ambitious redesign of out-of-home care in Western Australia.
The growing need to listen to WA children
Western Australia is grappling with an unprecedented amount of children in out-of-home care. In 2016, the Department of Communities reported 45,471 children in care - a number that has more than doubled in a decade. Alarmingly, more than 50% of these children are Aboriginal, despite representing just 6% of the population. This trend underscores systemic gaps, especially in addressing cultural needs.
As the government seeks reforms, Parkerville CYC identified an urgent need to rethink care models in their practice. They envision a system driven by the unique needs and aspirations of children and young people, fostering connections with families and communities, and respecting cultural identity. There is an immense opportunity to give young people and their families more choice and control in situations that many find overwhelming and be more responsive to the things that children and young people say are important to them.
“We need to increase children’s say in what happens to them... without burdening them with undue responsibility.”
A new model of holistic care
In collaboration with ThirdStory (then Innovation Unit Australia New Zealand) and with support from Lotterywest, Parkerville CYC developed an innovative model of out-of-home care that is built upon the experiences and voices of young people. As a result, four key design principles have been embedded in the model from strategy through to ground-level practice:
Radically personalised: Tailoring care to each child’s personal goals, resources, and preferences, with a future-focused view to the time they are no longer in care
Connected by default: Strengthening family and community ties as part of the care journey.
Embedded culture: Embedding Aboriginal cultural values alongside clinical practices.
Heart first, then head and hands: Radically personalised shared care of a strong, skilled workforce with aligned values and responsive systems to support them.
Family Link Workers have also been a critical component of the new model. Individuals in the new role offer children a safe and practical way to gather a child’s network of connections and help them make decisions together, which reflect the things that are important to the child.
Empowering change through co-design
Since 2020, Parkerville CYC has been co-designing and prototyping the new model of care. The voices of over 100 young people, families, carers, and survivors of the Stolen Generation were elevated to imagine a future of radically personalised care.
Led by a diverse design team, various interviews and workshops created space to uncover key insights into children’s experiences and collaboration for creating a new model that meets their unique needs. Adopting a prototyping process, rather than piloting, ensured continuous learning and adaptation that is flexible enough to continue enhancing the model.
A co-design approach elevates voices often overlooked, creating solutions deeply attuned to diverse needs. Embedding cultural respect and community connections also builds resilience and belonging for children in care. In combination, Parkerville CYC’s new model has the potential to significantly improve outcomes for young people who come into its care, now and into the future.
Project team
Jethro Sercombe Director, Innovation and People
Emma Scott Senior Project Lead
Kaci Oliphant Project Lead