Residential care: Last resort or vital link in child welfare?
Keywords:
residential care, family preservation, continuum of care, child protection, quality assurance in residential care, foster care, day care, care to measureAbstract
This paper defends the position that 'rethought' residential care should be an integral part of a continuum of child and family services, so that the nature, intensity and duration of the support given is tailored to the specific needs and potentialities of each family. The paper provides an outline of what 'rethought' residential care might look like and explores the need for a continuum of care. The current status of residential care in Belgium is discussed together with alternatives to residential care, focusing particularly on family preservation programmes.
