‘Fostering’ means caring for someone else’s child in your own home, whilst not being the child’s legal guardian.
Children come into foster care for many different reasons. It may not be safe for them to remain with their birth family as they may be at risk of harm from neglect or abuse. Some parents are not able to provide adequate care for their child due to ill health, drug and alcohol addiction or intellectual disabilities.
Each foster family is allocated a case manager who provides support and supervision to the carers through regular home visits and phone calls. Our clinical specialist team can provide more intensive supports, and referrals can be made to specialist services according to the needs of each case. There is an after-hours service for crisis/emergency situations. There are carer workshops, courses and social events with other carers during the year.
Fostering involves the whole family and it is important that each family member is included in the decision to foster.
• Applicants need to be over the age of 21, and in good health.
• Applicants should enjoy caring for children and be able to provide a stable, safe and caring home environment.
• A couple must have been living together for at least two years. They should have some experience in caring for children. Single applicants will also be considered for foster care.
• Permanent carers would be no older than 65 when the child turns 18.
• IVF and other fertility investigations or treatments need to be completed twelve months before applying to foster.
Your house must be safe and suitable for children, with adequate privacy and bedroom space for a child or young person. A child must have their own bed and may share a bedroom with another child, but not with an adult.
This depends on the program you wish to join and the needs of the child being placed with you. Most children in long-term care and adoption need a primary carer to be fully available to the child for the first 12 months of the placement, to help promote a secure attachment. In some cases the primary carer of a school-aged child can work part time, however addition caregivers/after-school care arrangements should be kept to a minimum during the first year of placement.
Anglicare Sydney provides a tax-free Care Allowance to all foster carers. This allowance is to help cover day-to-day expenses for the child such as food, clothing, education, travel and leisure activities. There is also some financial support with the initial set-up costs of a placement.
Foster carers who adopt the child in their care are eligible to receive a means tested, ongoing payment.
Anglicare Sydney recognises the importance of supporting children and young people who foster. Activities and outings are organised and supervised by case managers a few times a year to give children and young people the opportunity to spend time with each other in a relaxed and fun setting where they can express their views on fostering, ask questions and make friends with other people who foster.
As a foster carer, you have the right to:
• Be valued in your role as a carer and be treated with respect.
• Receive training and support from Anglicare.
• Receive clear directions around the requirements of Anglicare
• Access the personal information Anglicare holds on your file.
• Be provided with information about Anglicare’s complaints process.
As a foster carer, you are responsible for:
• Following the carer code of conduct and policies of Anglicare.
• Providing a safe, clean and comfortable home environment where a child’s needs are met.
• Respecting a child’s connection to their birth family, and support contact with them.
• Assisting the child with maintaining connections with their culture and to practice their religion.
• Following the behaviour management policy of the agency.
• Ensuring the child’s health needs are met.
• Maintaining records for the child.
• Supporting the child’s educational needs.
• Working with the case plan for the child and communicate with the agency regarding the child’s needs.