What is known about Australian child protection practitioners' participation in the health care of children living in out of home care: a scoping review

Purpose - There is a growing recognition of the urgency to enhance health outcomes for children and young people residing in out-of-home care (OOHC). Research underscores the need to establish effective pathways to quality health care for children and young people who have been exposed to trauma. Child protection (CP) practitioners should play a vital role in proactively improving health outcomes and navigating the intricacies of healthcare systems. Their involvement in initiating and collaborating on healthcare interventions is pivotal for the well-being of these vulnerable children and young people. However, challenges associated with poor health literacy and the complexities of healthcare systems hinder collaborative service delivery in the Australian context. This review explores how CP practitioners support the health care of children and young people in their care. Design/methodology/approach - A scoping review followed Arksey and O'Malley's framework, employing a narrative synthesis to assess the selected studies. Findings - Health outcomes for children and young people in OOHC remain under-researched and potentially under-resourced within the realm of CP practice. There is room for enhanced practices and system integration in CP service delivery to better address health needs and prevent further health and well-being disparities. Originality/value - Through this scoping review and involving industry experts in the discussion of findings, this study contributes valuable insights to the existing knowledge base regarding the active participation of CP practitioners in addressing the healthcare needs of vulnerable children.