This week is Foster and Kinship Care Week and respite carer and CASPA employee Fiona Kaminski wants more people to make room in their hearts and take on a carer role for children in the foster care system.

As well as being CASPA’s senior assessor and specialist program support officer, on weekends Fiona helps to make a difference in the lives of some of our most vulnerable and traumatised children 

“When I give respite care to kids on weekends, it also gives their long-term carers a break, so they can have time off and relax,” Fiona said. “It gives the kids something different to do and we try to make it as natural as possible and make them feel comfy - we’re like uncles and aunties.

“We keep the same respite carers for the kids so we can build up familiarity.

“For me reward is seeing kids go from strength to strength and trust people again.

“When they feel safe and able to trust, they become more settled and thrive in their lives and reach their full potential.

“During Foster Week, we celebrate foster carers’ selfless commitment and show appreciation for them in caring for our region’s most vulnerable children, giving them love, stability and hope.”

Last weekend, to kick of Foster and Kinship Care Week, a Foster Care Family Fun day was held in Lismore which saw over 200 children and their carers join together for a day of activities and fun.

The day was organised by a group of local foster care agencies from across the Northern Rivers, including CASPA Services ltd, Challenge Community Services, Foundations Care, Life Without Barriers, Mackillop Family Services, Ngunya Jarjum, UPA and Wesley Mission.

One of the children at the family fun day.

“The kids had a great day and we show we are working together with great outcomes for kids,” Fiona said. “We had great feedback on activities like the massage therapist for carers and the rock climbing wall for kids.

“Foster Care week is about showing apprecation for carers already doing it, but to also raise awareness that we need more carers on board.

“We need more people to put their hands up to care for vulnerable child as respite or long term carers, or give restoration support to return children back to parents.

“We need a bigger pool of carers in each agency to match a child’s needs.

Fiona said there are no specific criteria to be a carer, except to have a spare bedroom in your house for the child to stay in. 

“There are no age restrictions and all genders and couples, gay or straight, can apply, as long as you as long as you go through the thorough application process.”

In NSW right now there are over 17,000 children and young people in out-of-home care with an identified need to recruit an additional 600+ carers in 2019 to cope with demand. 

For more information about becoming a carer, contact My Forever Family NSW on 1300 782 975 or visit https://www.myforeverfamily.org.au/ to find an accredited foster care agency near you.

Have you ever wondered what it takes to become a foster carer? 

Let’s take a look at some of the biggest myths surrounding becoming a Foster Carer: 

Foster carers get no support. All local agencies provide 24/7 support to carers plus many local agencies provide constant training opportunities.

I can't foster because I've never had kids. Having children is not a pre-requisite to becoming a foster carer. 

I'll grow connected, then have to say goodbye. This one is complicated. Restoration with the birth family is the primary goal for fostering agencies but as a foster carer you have a say in which types of care you participate in – emergency, respite, restoration or long-term care. 

I can't foster because I'm in a same-sex relationship. A foster carer is assessed on the ability to meet a child’s needs and provide security and same-sex couples can absolutely be foster carers. Single people can also be foster parents.

I won't know how to deal with children's challenging behaviour. Some of the children in care do have challenging behaviours as a result of their experiences prior to coming into care and as a carer you will trained and supported to respond therapeutically to meet a child’s needs. As a foster carer you are part of a team supporting a child, you are not in it alone.

My biological child and fostered child won't feel equal. Families can indeed experience this, but carers and their biological children will be supported with staff and strategies to guide you.