Anglicare Victoria Eastern Region is running a campaign to find a foster carer for “Matthew” (not his real name).

Matthew is 16 years old who loves basketball, school and helping out around the home. He currently lives in Residential Care but according to Anglicare Victoria a home environment is what he needs to reach his full potential.

If you would like more information call 1300 889 335, e-mail fostercare.eastern@anglicarevic.org.au or read over the website and media release. 

Anglicare Victoria will be holding information sessions about Matthew on September 22nd, Nunawading Civic Centre (Courtyard Room) at 1:00-2:00 and 7:30-8:30. Call 1300 889 335 to register your interest.

Anglicare Victoria has responded to calls for an expansion to mandatory reporting laws for child abuse saying that child protection systems alone cannot ensure safety.

In a media release Anglicare Victoria CEO Ray Cleary said that the real focus should be on better training for child protection staff and improving outcomes for vulnerable children in out-of-home care.

 ”Receiving a notification of abuse or neglect is just one step in a long process to protect children,” Dr Cleary said.

Anglicare Victoria pointed to a shortage of foster carers as a key concern and encouraged the wider community to play a part in ensuring children are protected within our families.

 Dr Cleary said calls for a Judicial Inquiry into Victoria’s child protection system were premature and could divert crucial funding.

Anglicare Victoria also writes a Foster Care Blog available at their website

The Maroondah Leader newspaper has reported that $120,000 has been donated to the Australian Childhood Foundation to support Therapeutic Foster Care.

The funds were raised at a recent business charity event.

Anglicare Victoria provides two Therapeutic Foster Care programs in partnership with the Australian Childhood Foundation. The donation is a welcome support for carer education in therapeutic models of caring for trauma affected children.

Many foster carers with Anglicare Victoria Eastern Region have already had access to AChF training, which advances their knowledge of the effects of trauma on a child’s brain development, builds their skills in responding to a child’s behaviours and their understanding of the child’s needs.

All new foster carers are encouraged to take up training opportunities provided by the Australian Childhood Foundation in the area of therapeutic understanding.  

Anglicare Victoria aims to provide all carers with access to quality training throughout their fostering journey in specialist areas. As well as therapeutic training, Anglicare Victoria Eastern Region offers training relevant to caring for teenagers such as cyber safety, and identity. For foster carers of a child with a disability, training is offered in areas such as learning disabilities and communicating with non-verbal children.

For more information see the Anglicare Victoria Foster Care Blog or come to an information night:

Thursday 16th July (tomorrow) at 7:30pm, Anglicare Victoria Knox, 666 Mountain Hwy, Bayswater, call 1300 889 335.

Upcoming information sessions also at Warrandyte, Kew, Lilydale and Box Hill (see events listing for dates and venues).

Congratulations to Beverley Orr of Giralang, ACT for receiving the honour of the Medal of the Order of Australia.

Beverley recieves her award for her service to the community, particularly children through foster care and child protection.

This award is great recognition personally for Beverley, as well as being reflective of the great contributions made on a daily basis by each and every foster carer across Australia caring for our most vulnerable children.

Anglicare Victoria’s Eastern Region will be recognising graduating carers who have been accredited in the past 12 months as well as foster carers reaching significant service milestones of  five, ten and 15 years. 

Foster Carers with Anglicare Victoria are currently submitting nominations for carer awards under the categories of Community Spirit Award, Service Award, Advocacy Award and the Brighter Futures award, to also be presented at the award ceremony.

Photo by Simon O'Dwyer, owned by The Age

Last week 18 couples made their debut at the Melbourne Town Hall to 650 proud guests.

Although Deb Balls occurr every year across communities around Australia, the path these young ladies and gentlemen have journeyed along from childhood to adulthood has been more difficult than for most other Victorian children.

All of these young people have grown up living away from their own families, living instead in foster care, residential care or in the care of other relatives.

Last week they celebrated final chapter of that journey in front of family, friends, foster carers, foster care agencies such as Anglicare Victoria, and other distinguished guests including Jenny Maklin.

Looking wonderful and feeling like prince and princesses the young couples stood tall as they swirled around the dance floor on their night of nights.

Read more  in an article from The Age

Anglicare Victoria will be holding a foster care information evening next week in Box Hill. Anyone who is interested in finding out more about foster care or becoming a carer is encouraged to attend.

Wednesday May 27th
7.30 – 8.30pm
@ Anglicare Box Hill – 7-11 Shipley Street, Box Hill

Call Josh on 1300 889 335 for further details. All welcome.

A group of foster carers from NSW are blogging their opinions, reflections and perspectives. Opinions about issues relating to foster care are often hotly debated by governments, advocacy bodies, people directly involved and the general public. 

The carers’ perspective in an interesting one but by no means a unanimous one. Nevertheless it is so important to hear the voices of people working and caring for these children everyday.

Readers from Victoria should note that the Foster Carers blog is predominantly written from a NSW context and some of the points do not apply to a Victorian setting where structures of service provision are quite different.

In media releases both Anglicare Victoria and the Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare have welcomed the investment of $135 million in Out of Home Care over the next four years.

The budget includes 100 extra placements for one-to-0ne care for children with who have experienced extreme trauma and abuse and who need expert care. It also includes early intervention for children at risk and training and support for relatives called on to care for their grandchild, niece or nephew.

photo by Steve Tanner, Free Press Leader

Sassafras foster mum, Steph Berg, has a lot to celebrate on Mother’s Days. Not only is she mum to her five year old son but it’s also an opportunity to celebrate her role as a foster mum for a young girl in her care.

Steph describes the role as a very special experience and this Mother’s day she is encouraging other people to become foster mums and dads.

Call 1300 889 335 to find out more about foster care.

Friends support children and their foster carers through mentoring, tutoring, child-minding,spending social time, transport and other practical assistance.

If you live in the Melbourne’s eastern region why not get involved? The first step is coming along to training which will be running this week on Wednesday and Thursday nights. Friends for Foster Care training includes stories from real carers and children, hands-on activities and discussions.

For more information or to book your place call Jessica on 1300 889 335.