Psycho-Legal Concepts for Parenting in Child Custody and Child Protection Vol. 1

Dr. Don Tustin is a clinical psychologist working in Adelaide, Australia. He has worked for 25 years with vulnerable families where children are at increased risk of maltreatment and mental health disorders because their parents use parenting practices that are inadequate to meet all of the needs of the child. He has worked in a community mental health team for adults, where 30% of clients were parents whose parenting practices were affected when the parent experienced an episode of mental illness including depression, anxiety, and mood disorder. He has received two grants to deliver interventions for parents with a mental illness. An innovative collaborative approach was used, where a mental health clinician and an in-home parenting coach worked cooperatively with parents and their children to improve dynamics in the family. He has presented to World Congresses on Children’s Rights about treatment reports submitted to courts.

• 1. Introduction.- 2. Initiatives of Australian Government.- 3. Primary prevention approach to promote children’s wellbeing.- 4. Reviews of Australia's child protection systems.- 5. Phases of research into risk factors for children.- 6. Judicial responses to social science research.- 7. Health economic analyses of interventions.- 8. Scholarly expertise and advocacy.- 9. Established and new models of care in Australia's child protection system.- 10. Child safety in a ‘system’s void’: Addressing the gaps and overlaps between family law, child protection, and criminal law systems.- 11. How some Australian children drift into care.- 12. What might a re-structured service system for vulnerable children look like?.- 13. Does out-of-home care prepare youth for adulthood?.- 14. Conclusion.- 15.Glossary.