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Foster & Kinship Care

Foster & Kinship Care


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.

Overview


When children can’t live safely at home because of serious child abuse, neglect and family violence, the first preference is that they go to relatives (Kinship Care). Accredited volunteer foster carers also provide care for children and young people in their own homes (Foster Care). Our professional staff ensure these carers are properly screened, assessed and supported, as well as working directly with the children to ensure they get the help they need to recover.

What is foster care?


Foster Care is the temporary care of a child/young person (birth to 17) within a home environment during a time when they cannot live with their parents. It can be for a few days, a few weeks or for much longer.

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

Wherever possible, the idea is to reunify children with their birth families eventually, providing this is in the best interests of the child
Foster care is required when there isn’t an extended family member or members of a child’s social network available to provide a home (known as Kinship Care).

Types of foster care



General Foster Care


For children and young people aged from birth to 17 years, care can be:
  • Respite care - Recurrent planned care, for example one weekend per month
  • Temporary emergency care - Overnight up to 6 weeks
  • Reception care - Children are subjected to child protection intervention and placement is required during the court phase. It can range from overnight to six weeks
  • Transitional short term care - A child is placed on a court order and still requires a placement for up to two years
  • Long term care - Reunification is no longer considered and placement is required for more than two years

Other types of foster care

Case study


Twins, Paul and Peter, didn’t have an easy start in life. Born at 26 weeks, their four older siblings were already in care and their dad was in prison. Initially the focus was on their precarious health, but as the twins grew stronger the big question became: who will take on these boys and give them the childhood they deserved?

Fortunately, experienced foster carers Alex and Anya stepped in. They were already caring for an older sibling group from the same cultural background and were aware of how important this would be for the boys to develop a strong sense of identity. With predictable and consistent routines, love and regular massage, both twins are now healthy and happy.