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Become a Foster Carer

Become a Foster Carer


Every child deserves a good childhood. Foster care is a way of providing family life for a vulnerable child in your own home when they are unable to live with their birth family.

Foster care is required when there isn’t any extended family members or members of a child’s social network (known as ‘kinship care’) available to provide care.

Foster care is a responsive service to children who have experienced trauma and various forms of abuse and require a caring and nurturing environment.

Foster Care can be for:



  • A few days
  • A few weeks
  • Or for much longer

Who can become a foster carer



Foster carers come from different backgrounds, cultures and experiences and may be:

  • Single, couple, married or not married
  • Male or female
  • May or may not have children
  • Need to be over 21 years of age
  • Of any sexual orientation
  • Can have a variety of working and living arrangements
  • Can live in houses, flats or shared households

Foster carers should have a sense of humour, patience, tolerance and a willingness to be flexible and open to new experiences. In addition carers must be willing to work within a professional team and have a capacity to provide a safe, structured and nurturing environment


What support is provided to foster carers



  • Foster carers receive a non taxable fortnightly carer reimbursement to assist in meeting the cost of food, clothing and general living expenses for children/young person in their care.
  • Foster carers receive training to help them develop the necessary knowledge/skills needed in Foster Care.
  • Foster care staff offer practical help and professional support through regular telephone calls, home visits and after-hours support.

If you would like to find out more about becoming a foster carer, please complete our online enquiry form

Foster carers story



After years of effort to have a family of our own, we had our little girl Madelyn. Several years later we decided to look into other ways to fill our home and contacted Berry Street. I had thought about Fostering a few years earlier but had forgotten about it until I saw an ad on TV and we decided to look into it.

Since becoming foster carers we have enjoyed watching little people develop and grow in our family environment, getting back at least as much as we've put in. We get a lot of satisfaction being able to help other families and Madelyn has flourished in her capacity as a "big sister".

We currently have a small child in our care who came to us 7 months ago with some developmental delays. Just from being in a secure, stable environment he has now nearly caught up to the level of an average 3 and a half year old. Despite the odd grey hair and the occasional interrupted nights sleep we heartily encourage anyone to give it a go as we find fostering to be a fulfilling and rewarding experience.

Belinda & Michael Smith - foster carers