Victoria’s state-wide foster care recruitment service, Fostering Connections, is calling on Victorians from all walks of life to step up and help their community by becoming foster carers.
Long-term and short-term foster carers make a difference to thousands of children across Victoria every day – whether that’s over a weekend, a month or more.
Children and young people come into foster care for a range of different reasons, but people from all walks of life can play a role in creating a safe and supportive home until they can safely return to their family.
Whilst fostering can have some hard parts, there are lots of rewarding parts too and seemingly small contributions can make a positive impact on a child in your care.
What is foster care?
Foster care is the temporary care of children and young people by trained and accredited foster carers.
As a foster carer, you can play an important role in a child’s life, even with a small contribution of your time.
“We all have our ups and downs in life. Imagine you don’t have any support at a time you most need it, but someone puts up their hand to support and care for your children at a hard time in your life. What’s more important than that?” – Glenda, foster carer
Who can become a foster carer?
Anyone aged 21 and above can apply to be a foster carer in Victoria. What matters most is that you can offer stability and support to a child or young person while they cannot live at home.
At a minimum, a prospective carer will need to:
- Be at least 21 years old
- Have a spare bedroom
- Be an Australian citizen or permanent resident (in some cases non-permanent residents can become foster carers for emergency and respite placements)
- Be able to pass relevant background checks
People from all backgrounds and walks of life are encouraged to apply to become foster carers. Foster carers can be:
- LGBTIQA+
- Young or old
- Single or coupled
- Parents or have no parenting experience at all
- Working full-time or retired
- Renting or owning their home
- From any cultural or religious background
What’s involved in becoming a foster carer?
Foster carers are provided with training and support to become accredited to provide care for children and young people. Whilst it takes dedication, you will be supported every step of the way.
Step 1. Connect with the right foster care agency.
When you are ready to get started, you can give us a call on 1800 013 088 or enquire via our website www.fosteringconnections.com.au. We will connect you with a local foster care agency who will guide you through the accreditation process.
Your agency will chat with you about the process of becoming an accredited foster carer and what’s expected. This is a good opportunity to decide if the agency you’ve applied with is the right fit for you too.
Caring for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children or young people is supported by connecting you with an Aboriginal-led foster care agency. People from all cultural backgrounds can apply to foster Aboriginal children.
Step 2. Attend a foster care information session.
An information session is a great way to learn more about the process of becoming a foster carer and how to determine if fostering is the right fit for you. You will also gain insights into the support, training and resources available to help you on your journey.
Many foster care agencies run information sessions either online or in-person. These sessions are a great opportunity to:
- get the details you need
- meet other foster carers or support people
- learn about the next steps in your agency’s process
Some foster care agencies can do the same thing for you over a cup of tea in the privacy of your own home. Visit www.fosteringconnections.com.au to find an information session in your area.
Step 3. Complete the relevant checks and formal training.
You will have to complete:
- a general health check,
- referee checks (only for the person in the household applying to become a foster carer), and
- checks to confirm your house will make a suitable home.
- In addition, you and all adults in the household will have to complete:
- a police check, and
- a Working with Children Check.
Your foster care agency will provide support in completing each of these requirements. During the assessment process your foster care agency — usually your case worker — will come to visit your home to ensure it’s safe and secure. You will also participate in four to five in-home conversations which will form the basis of your assessment report. Together, you will work through all the assessments needed to become a foster carer.
You will also participate in 16 hours of training to help you prepare for the experience of being a foster carer. These training sessions are flexible and offered at various dates and times that suit your schedule.
Step 4. Learn the outcome of your panel review.
Following the completion of your assessment, a report of your training and assessment is sent to an accreditation panel for approval. The panel is made up of staff from your foster care agency and at least one representative from the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing.
Once the panel grants your approval, you will be asked to sign a code of conduct agreement. You will then be an accredited foster carer. It is a requirement that the safety of the carer’s home and environment is monitored regularly through home visits and is formally reviewed annually.
Step 5. Congratulations! You are now a foster carer.
You can begin preparing for your first foster care placement. After you’ve been accredited, your foster care agency will be in touch about a child or young person in your area needing care who has been identified as an appropriate fit for you. This is known as ‘foster care placement’.
The length of time it takes for an agency to get in touch about a potential placement depends on a number of things, including the types of foster care you are accredited to provide, as well as the age-range, genders and number of children you have told the agency you are comfortable caring for.
Remember, you can always let an agency know that you can’t accept a placement when they contact you.
If you are available for placement, your agency will match you with one of their foster care case workers, who is your main contact for information, advice and support while the child or young person is in your care.
Interested in becoming a foster carer?
Fostering Connections is the state-wide foster care recruitment service supported by the Victorian Government.
To find out more about becoming a foster carer, visit www.fosteringconnections.com.au or phone 1800 013 088.
More reading: New guide helps parents foster respectful relationships through quality literature
