Foster Care Victoria

An interesting article here outlines the difficulties the United States are having in making a decision regarding reimbursements for carers who take on intensive or complex placements. Good to know it’s not just here that we are struggling with decisions of this nature.

Fostering has always been a demanding and challenging role.  Changes in legislation, documents concerning minimum standards for out of home care, and the increase in allegations against carers have all added to the expectations and pressures faced by foster parents, who provide their incredibly valuable service to our community as volunteers.  The issue of whether or not carers should be paid as professionals has long been the subject of debate, with strong arguments both for and against the proposal.  One may argue that in the current climate, the expectations of foster parents is closer to what would be reasonable for employees rather than volunteers. 

I found this story from Miami in America about an agency called Neighbour to Family.  This agency, founded by Gordon and Delores Johnson, was developed in response to a desire to keep siblings together, and to facilitate relationships between carers and biological families.  Carers are paid in addition to the state reimbursement rate, and also receive health insurance.  They are highly trained, and function as part of the treatment team.  Carers build relationships with the foster children’s birth families, and mentor them in their parenting.

From the article:

“Within the first 30 days of placement, everyone involved with the children, from attorneys to parents, meets and discusses what’s best for the kids, he says. The communication helps diffuse the resentment biological parents might feel toward foster parents while teaching them to become better parents. The monthly meetings continue until children are reunited with their parents or placed permanently elsewhere.”

Sounds interesting.  The results?  According to the article, children stay in care for significantly shorter periods than the national average.  The website claims that 100% of children remain in their initial placement.   And 85% of carers stay in the program, unlike the national trend where there is a 85% turnover in carers. 

I am interested to hear what carers here in Australia think about this kind of model.   Could you imagine it working here?  Would you want to be part of a program like that?