Newborn babies are the sweetest, most innocent creatures and, right now, there are newborn babies who are in need of love and support. Foster caring for newborn babies can be an incredible experience. You have the opportunity to give babies the care and love they need at the most critical stage of their lives.
Right now, there are around 46,000 kids in foster care in Australia: almost 14,000 of whom are in Victoria. Anglicare Victoria is encouraging those who have a passion for caring for others to consider becoming a foster carer.
Today, the team at Anglicare Victoria tell you how you can foster care for newborns and why it can be just as beneficial to the carer as it can be for the child.
How many newborns in Victoria need foster care?
In Victoria, between 2018 and 2019, there were over 2,000 infants under the age of one who were placed on care and protection order. More foster carers are needed in Victoria to take care of vulnerable children.
Why is foster care for newborns so important?
Foster caring for newborns has many positive benefits for individuals and the wider community.
- Supporting a child through their most influential years
A child’s infancy is arguably the most influential stage of their development. When you care for a newborn from a neglectful environment by providing a safe, nurturing foster home, you’re potentially altering the entire course of that child’s life for the better. You have the chance to give that child strong foundations for a healthy, happy life.
- It can be a rewarding experience for carers
Caring for newborns can be just as important to carers as it is to newborns. Many foster carers report a feeling of reward, fulfilment and giving back to the community, while gaining a sense of higher purpose in life.
- There is a current shortage of foster carers
Sadly, there is currently a shortage of foster carers in Victoria. To meet the current demand of children who need safe foster homes, the required number of additional foster carers could exceed 700 in total.
- Inspiring others
When you show other people in your life how great it is to foster newborns, you may inspire others to do the same. Many foster carers report that the reason they decided on foster care was partly due to being inspired by others.
How to become a foster carer for newborn babies
Becoming a foster carer begins with talking to the team at Anglicare Victoria. The first thing to do is to contact us and express interest in foster care. From there, you’ll submit an enquiry form and attend a free information session.
Once you complete paperwork and background checks such as a Police Check, Working with Children Check and a health check, you’ll be ready for training – should you be deemed eligible.
Interviews with you and your other household members will be conducted, and your home will be assessed to ensure it meets the criteria for looking after children.
Afterwards, an accreditation panel will review your entire application and decide on your suitability for foster care. If you’re successful, you’ll be approved to provide foster care for one or more age brackets of children – for example, from 0 to 10 years of age if you’re most interested in foster caring for newborns. For more information on how to become a foster carer, click here.
Contact your local agency today
If you’ve decided on helping the community in the biggest way possible, Anglicare Victoria can help you start the journey of foster care. Our mission is to empower and support children who’ve had a tough start to life by giving them safe, loving foster homes all over Victoria. If you’re interested in becoming a foster carer, contact our Carer Recruitment Team and enquire about applying today.
