Student placements in residential care: how do we provide a positive experience?

Very few Australian residential care facilities have access to psychological services. Clearly, very few Australian psychologists provide services to residential care facilities. Various factors underlie this situation. The tensions in the dual funding of health care between Commonwealth and the States and chronic under funding of aged care services are major issues, but factors within the profession are also relevant. The limited exposure to older adults and issues that are common in clinical training programs is one factor. The limited number of placements available for students to gain practical experience with older adults is also something of concern if more psychologists are to have positive experiences in working with older adults. This forum will explore strategies for increasing placement opportunities for students to work in residential care facilities and increasing incentives for psychological services in residential care. Another issue for discussion will be methods for increasing the number of supervisors for such work and for ensuring positive outcomes