Fostering FAQ

Who needs foster care?

Community Service Organisations provide safe & supportive homes for children & teenagers who are temporarily unable to live with their own families, as well as supporting families in crisis and families who have a child with a disability or developmental delay. 

 

What is the aim of foster care?

The aim of foster care is to reunite children with their own family wherever possible.  Where this is not possible, the aim is generally to find a stable, long-term environment in which the child can live (e.g. permanent care, adoption). 

 

How old are foster children?

The age of children & young people in foster care ranges from 0-18 years.  Carers can specify the age of children for which they would be willing to provide care.

 

How long do children require care?

The length of care required varies.  Some children need emergency care overnight or for the weekend, others need regular respite one weekend a month, & many need care for months at a time or even years.  Carers can specify the length of care they are able to provide.  For more information on respite care, please view our post titled ‘What is Respite Care?’.

 

What makes a person eligible to be a carer?

Anyone who can provide safe, appropriate care for children in need is eligible to apply to be a foster carer.  Race, gender, marital status, employment, sexuality and religion do not affect a person’s eligibility to be a carer.   You do not have to have your own children to be a foster carer.  Foster carers are generally aged between 20 and 80 years. 

 

What sort of care is most required?

People are needed to provide all types of care, from respite to long-term.  People are also needed who can look after sibling groups in order to keep children from the same family together.  Boys aged between 6-13 years of age are among the most difficult children to find foster care placements for. 

 

Do carers always have a placement?

Carers may go ‘on hold’ or discontinue volunteering as a carer at any time, although potential applicants are encouraged to take into consideration the importance of stability to children in foster care and carefully consider the commitment they are making prior to accepting a placement. 

 

What financial support is provided to foster carers?

Carers receive a tax-free fortnightly reimbursement from the Department of Human Services.  The amount of this reimbursement is primarily dependent on the age of the child in care and the type of program the child is involved with (e.g. general, intensive, complex). 

 

What other support is provided to carers?

Casework staff are on-call 24/7 & are available to answer any queries that may arise during placement.  They can also refer children or carers to other services or training as required.  Many agencies and foster carers also run carer support groups, and some have a Carer Support Team to support foster carers throughout the time they are involved with the agency.  To read more about the training and assessment of foster carers, please view our post entitled ‘Foster Care Training’.

 

What happens if a foster carer goes on holiday?

Many foster carers take children and young people with them on holiday.  If they have a current placement, foster carers must notify their agency of when they are planning to take a holiday.  Respite arrangements can be made with enough notice if it is not appropriate or practical for the carer to take a child or young person on the holiday.  If the foster carer is travelling interstate or overseas it is necessary to gain permission from the child or young person’s guardian in order for them to go.     

 

How do foster children attend school?

If the child is of school age, they will most likely continue attending the school at which they are already enrolled.  In most cases, the carer will transport the child to & from school.  It is generally preferred that children are placed close to their school.

 

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