Imagine having the ability to change a child’s life, giving them the support they need to grow up happy, safe and healthy. This incredible achievement can be possible when you decide to become a foster carer.
Beginning foster care is a rewarding experience for adults, and a life-changing experience for children who are most in need. There are a range of foster care programs available, allowing you to discover an option that suits you and your household.
Becoming a foster carer requires research, consideration and planning. Anglicare Victoria, a leading team in foster care programs and more, tells us how to become a foster carer in this post.
Understanding the range of foster care programs at Anglicare
Anglicare Victoria provides a range of foster care programs, all of which differ in terms of length time and nature. These programs include:
- Crisis or emergency care
Emergency care provides short-term assistance at short notice when children are first separated from their birth families. This type of care generally ranges from a couple of nights to a couple of weeks. - Short-term care
While the Children’s Court decides the long-term plan for a child, they need somewhere safe to stay. This is where short-term care is needed, which can range from a matter of months to a couple of years, while the child’s family work to address the protective concerns so that they can return home. - Long-term care
Long-term care is for children whom the Children’s Court has decided will likely stay in foster care, and reunification to their family home is no longer planned. These children need a safe and stable home, and placements can range from a couple of years to a permanent arrangement until the young person turns 18. - Respite care
Respite care involves time-limited placements in which carers look after children intermittently – for example, one weekend a month or for short periods over the school holidays. Respite carers often care for the same child on a regular basis for a minimum of twelve months.
Researching
Foster care is a rewarding experience and it’s important to research the requirements thoroughly so you can make sure you’re able to provide the best possible home for foster kids. There are several considerations one has to make before deciding to become a foster carer. These include:
- Length of commitment for caring for a child,
- Suitability to look after children with additional learning, physical or emotional needs,
- Balancing supporting a child while keeping them connected with their birth family.
Inquiring at Anglicare Victoria
Once you’ve decided to become a foster carer, you’ll have an over-the-phone chat with Anglicare Victoria’s Carer Recruitment Team. You’ll be able to ask any questions you have about foster care and the entire process, and you’ll be sent more information and invited to attend an information session to begin the journey.
Paperwork and checks
Next, you’ll submit the necessary paperwork and relevant checks. Adults will complete a Health Check, Police Check, a Working with Children Check and referee checks. To get to know you a bit more, we’ll ask for a brief written life story, helping us understand what interests you about becoming a foster parent. Your agency will provide support in completing these tasks.
Training
Training to become a foster carer through Anglicare Victoria involves a 16-hour course which takes place regularly throughout the year.
The course covers a range of topics such as:
- The diverse needs of children who are placed in foster care or adoption
- The importance of continued and aided connection with their birth family and culture
- Caring for children who have experienced trauma
- Working with Anglicare Victoria
- Shared stories from experienced foster carers.
Assessment
After completing your training to become a foster carer, you’ll be allocated a worker who will be in charge of completing your assessment. The assessment will include:
- Four to six interviews in your home
- Conversations with all members of your households, including children
- Conversations about your family and relationships, and your capacity to meet the needs of a child placed in your care
- Thorough home safety checks to ensure your home is a safe environment for a child.
Placement
Once you are accredited as a foster carer, you’ll be ready for your first placement. There are a range of considerations when matching each child with a suitable foster family, including age, gender, cultural background and needs.
Ready to give back to the community in the most important way possible? Contact the Anglicare Victoria Carer Recruitment Team to get your foster care application underway. With the help and guidance of Anglicare Victoria, you have the ability to change the lives of children who have had a difficult start to life.
