Thousands of children in Australia need safe, loving homes.

BECOME A CARER

Provide a safe and loving home for a child.

Ever thought about Foster Care?
The difference you can make will last a lifetime.

Thousands of children and young people in Australia need a safe place to call home. We need more carers to open their homes, on either a part-time or full-time basis to provide short-term or long-term care.

It may be the hardest and best thing you ever do.

What is Foster Care?

When a child is unable to live at home for safety reasons and can’t be cared for by a relative, trained and assessed Foster Carers provide care while the best plan for permanent care of the child is determined.

Types of Foster Care include:

Emergency Foster Care
Short-term Foster Care
Long-term Foster Care
Therapeutic or Specialised Foster Care
Respite Foster Care (e.g. one weekend a month).

There is also a role for ‘Lead Tenants’ (or ‘live-in mentors’), supporting young people as they transition to independent living.

N.B. If you aren’t in a position to open your home to a child on a full-time basis, you might be able to provide Respite Foster Care, which can be both a good first step into Foster Care and a huge source of support for full-time carers.

For more information on the types of Foster Care and state-based links for Child Protection Departments, Foster Care Associations and lists of Foster Care Agencies, check out Foster Care: An Overview.

The ideal goal in Foster Care is for children to be reunited with their biological family where possible. Foster Care can sometimes lead to a permanent care arrangement, but this generally isn’t the main objective. Learn more about Permanent Guardianship and Adoption here.

Who can be a carer & what’s involved?

We’ve covered some frequently asked questions and gathered a range of information to help you decide if this is the right time to welcome a child into your home.

There is no such thing as a typical Foster Care household.
Foster Carers come from diverse backgrounds, family types and walks of life.

You need to:

  • Be an Australian citizen or permanent resident,
  • Be over 21 years of age,
  • Have a spare bedroom, and
  • Be willing for you and members of your household to do relevant background checks.

You can:

  • Be single, or have a spouse or partner,
  • Work part-time, full-time, study, or be retired,
  • Be a homeowner or renter, or
  • Have children, grandchildren, or neither.

If you currently have children, agencies may have preferences around the age of children who are placed with you, for example being at least two years younger than your youngest child.

In some instances, agencies may ask about any current fertility treatment and may require a period of time to pass before pursuing becoming a carer.

Foster Care agencies will have slightly different approaches but all will involve the same general elements to become an approved carer. The process usually takes at least six months.

1. Inquiry

After you contact the agency through their website or by calling, they’ll contact you to discuss next steps.

Submitting an inquiry carries no obligation to go through the whole process. There will be multiple points for decision-making along the way.

2. Information session

Many agencies will host Information Sessions for you to attend to find out more information.

3. Application

Provide your information, confirm identification, provide referees, and complete various checks including National Police Check, State-based Working with Children Check, and health/medical report.

4. Training

All carers are required to complete substantial training provided by an Agency.

5. Assessment

One or more home visits and in-depth interviews will be conducted, as well as a home and environment check to ensure your home is safe.

6. Accreditation

Applications are reviewed by an Approval Panel. If approved, you’ll sign a Carer Agreement and Code of Conduct and you can then receive placements, with access to 24-7 support from your case worker.

There will be an annual review/assessment and you’ll be encouraged to participate in ongoing learning regarding your role as a Foster Carer.

As a Foster Carer, you’ll need to…

  • Champion the best interests of the child or young person in your care
  • Create a safe, consistent, nurturing home environment
  • Collaborate with your Agency and the child’s Care Team
  • Accept a child’s connection to their birth family and sensitively communicate about the reasons they are currently unable to care for them
  • Respect the goal of reunification and arrangements for contact visits
  • Respect and support the cultural, language and religion of the child or young person in care
  • Embrace a learning journey of becoming trauma-informed
  • Build a support system from the outset!

You’ll have 24-7 access to support from your agency and will receive reimbursement to help meet costs relating to providing care.

In addition to our First Steps resource, we recommend checking out the following resources.

If you’re wondering if Foster Care is for you, even if you’re still unsure, our free resource Foster Care: First Steps is for you.

‘First Steps’ is an online course that will help deepen your understanding of a faith-based and holistic approach to Foster Care and help you to consider your readiness to pursue it.

Topics include:

  • A Ministry of Reconciliation
  • Understanding Out-of-Home Care
  • What to Expect
  • Trauma and attachment: An introduction
  • Things you can do to prepare
  • The Need for Community
  • Additional reading and resources

Find out more and access the First Steps resource by clicking below.

What’s your next step?

Pursuing Foster Care is a big decision. We encourage you to approach it with prayer, wise counsel, and within community.

There are plenty of points along the way that will help you to decide if this is the right time to welcome a child into your home, whether for monthly respite care, short-term care, or a longer-term placement. We encourage you to keep moving forward.

LEARN MORE: Explore Foster Care further with our Foster Care: First Steps resource.
ASK OTHER CARERS: If you know a carer, ask them what agency they are with and what their experience has been.
ENQUIRE WITH AN AGENCY: Look into agencies providing a Foster Care program in your local area (lists are available here).

Foster Care: First Steps

Foster Care: First Steps is a free resource that will help grow your understanding of a faith-based, holistic approach to Foster Care and help you to consider your readiness to pursue it.