Peter and Lorraine Garfield have been foster carers with Anglicare Victoria for six years, and during that time they’ve provided care to close to 10 kids – some for a night or two, and some for years at a time.
Lorraine says foster caring is something she’s always wanted to do. She and Peter decided to give it a go because they were in a position to help kids that didn’t have the same opportunities they did growing up, and to make a difference. She thinks that if you’re considering fostering, you should give it a go.
“One of the questions I get asked frequently is whether you can decide the age of the children that are going to placed with you. Foster caring is really flexible, if you want to care for just teenagers that’s fine, you get to set the boundaries about who you care for and how often. Anglicare Victoria has been so helpful. They respect the boundaries we’ve put in place, provide support and take care of any needs our family has,” Lorraine said.
If people are just starting out on their foster care journey, Lorraine encourages these carers not to go in with any preconceived ideas.
“Be willing to let the experience be what it will be. I don’t think I realised how much it was affect us, I really appreciate now what we have and what we can provide. I just love it, I can’t think of one placement we’ve had that hasn’t been positive for us.”
This Foster Care Week, Anglicare Victoria is celebrating all its foster carers for making a positive difference in the lives of the children they care for. Currently there are 68 active foster care households in Anglicare Victoria’s North Central region.
Kerryn Seboa, Out-of-Home Care Program Manager at Anglicare Victoria North Central said:
“The unwavering support foster carers bring to some of our most vulnerable children and young people never ceases to amaze me.
“I am a strong believer that it takes a very special person to open their hearts and welcome a young person into their family, yet our carers continue to astound me with how effortlessly this happens.
“We appreciate all of the commitment and hard work our North Central foster carers do in their roles and we thank all of them for their dedication, flexibility, patience and support. Wishing you all a very Happy Foster Care Week.”
