Foster Care Victoria

I would like to take this opportunity to thank every foster carer for invaluable contributions to the lives of countless children and young people, and towards supporting and building stronger communities.

Foster care agencies rely on carers to provide full-time care, short-term, emergency, respite and mentorship, through to helping out with recruitment promotion and administration. Without volunteers, foster care would not exist.

The National Volunteers Week website suggests these ideas for doing your bit for this week.

• Call talkback radio and mention it is National Volunteer Week and that you would like to say thank you to every volunteer listening
•  Write a letter to the editor of your major daily newspaper thanking volunteers
• Personally say thank you to anyone you know who volunteers
• Suggest to your employers that they say thank you to staff members who volunteer and recognise their efforts
• Download the Certificate of Appreciation template and use that to recognise volunteers in your group

They also have a Fast Facts sheet.   

National Volunteers week is also a great reminder of the need for more people to become involved. For anyone who is considering becoming a carer, there will be an information night tonight in Ashburton, see the events listing for more details.   

With These Hands is an exhibition which seeks to create a space for people to reflect upon the expereince of Child Sexual Abuse. The event will open on the 22nd of May. The Chapel on Station Gallery is located on the corner of Station St and Ellingworth Parade, Box Hill.

Sadly, many children who come into care have experienced some form of abuse, including sexual abuse. While the impacts and supports for children who have been victims of abuse is covered in the training program offered by agencies, it remains, for many carers, one of the most emotionally challenging aspects of the role.

Anyone who lives in the Manningham or Whitehorse area is invited the Information Evening tomorrow night (May 6th) at 47-53 Tunstall Rd, Doncaster East (Baptist Church), beginning at 7.30.

If you’re not in this area see out Events Listing for other locations or fill out this online form for someone to contact you from your area.

*This photo belongs to the Herald Sun

Yesterday’s article, Hard Times Foster and Carer Crisisin the Herald Sun has sparked quite a response with many calls to the Centre for Excellence from people wanting to find out more which is fantastic news.

Although the online comments appear to show a) a misunderstanding in the community about foster care and how the system works, and b) some disgruntled past and potential carers frustrated at a lack of support and resources.

To the latter category of people, I hear you and I agree, though I think we should all raise our hats to both DHS workers and foster care workers alike for their perseverance in a thankless, stressful, under-paid, under-staffed, under-funded and under-resourced job. While I am sorry to hear of negative experiences of foster care all I can say is that we are all doing the best we can.

To the former category, removal of children is never an easy decision and is always a last resort. This issue is completely separate Apology made on February 13th which acknowledged the injustice of forced removal based on race, rather than on the safety and best interests of the child. Foster care is the temporary care of a child where the hope is always on reunification with the birth family. Foster carers are not expected to be perfect but it is a responsibility of those in the field to make sure that a child is safe from harm and provided with adequate care.

Although foster care is a challenging role at times, as Kylie will attest, it is also an immensely rewarding one.

Anyone interested should consider coming along to an information evening, check the events listing for details.

This invitation was published on Maroondah Leader’s Website.

Much discussion has occurred lately in the media surrounding the challenges faced by parents raising children in the electronic age – ‘An Evening with Andrew Fuller’ to be held on Thursday 17 April at Tintern Girls Grammar promises to delivery many of the answers.

During the course of the evening Andrew, Clinical Psychologist and Family Therapist, explores parenting strategies for raising real people and embracing the new ‘click and go’ generation. While Andrew is a Fellow of the Department of Psychiatry and the Department of Learning and Educational Development at the University of Melbourne, he offers parents realistic and down-to-earth solutions for the challenges that our children face.

The evening is open to anyone interested in raising confident and happy children and commences at 7pm in the CM Wood Centre, Tintern Girls Grammar, 90 Alexandra Road, Ringwood East.

Anglicare Victoria are holding a foster care information session in Melbourne’s outer-east during Youth Week.

If you’ve ever thought about fostering, volunteering to help a child or young person in need, or just want to make a difference, then this is for you.

 Anglicare provides foster care and support for children and young people aged 0-18, an Adolescent Community Placement (ACP) program for young people aged 13-17, and several specific programs for children and young people with a disability or high needs.

Information Session- Lilydale

Date:  Monday April 7th

Time: 7:30-8:30pm

Venue:   Anglicare Victoria Yarra Ranges, 47-51 Castella St, Lilydale, VIC

“Foster Care Week” is an awareness raising campaign facilitated by the Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare.  It concludes this Saturday.  Look out for show bags in your local community.  If you happen to live in the Mount Evelyn area, you can collect one (and find out a bit more about fostering) from the Library on Thursday night (20th September) at 7.30pm.  Click here for more details.  

Click here for a comprehensive list of conferences, seminars or workshops concerning the welfare and protection of children scheduled over the next twelve months…

National Disability Services & Families Australia are co-hosting a conference on the 14th and 15th of May 2008 at the Melbourne Park Function Centre at Melbourne Olympic Park.  The conference aims to “identify issues, share solutions and celebrate successes” for children and young people with disabilities and their families.  You can read more here. 

Anyone in Melbourne’s Eastern suburbs interested in becoming a foster carer or in finding more information about foster care should consider attending Anglicare Victoria’s foster care information evening next Tuesday the 28th of August.

Details:  7.30pm sharp start.  7-11 Shipley Street, Box Hill.  No confirmation of attendance is necessary.  Attendees will have the opportunity to talk to foster care staff, as well as experienced foster carers, and a free information DVD will be available.  Call Josh on 1300 889 335 with any queries.