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About being a foster carer PDF Print

Who can become a Foster Carer?

Anyone can apply to become a Foster Carer - it doesn't matter if you are married or single, gay or lesbian, young or old.  Foster Carers need to be:

  • someone who is over 21 years of age
  • stable in their own life
  • committed to caring for children
  • mature, flexible and responsible
  • a good communicator, willing to learn
  • patient, with a sense of humour, and open to new experiences.

What support is provided to Foster Carers?

  • Foster Carers receive a fortnightly tax free allowance to help with general expenses for the child in their care.
  • Foster Carers receive initial training to help them to develop the necessary skills to be a Foster carer.
  • OzChild Foster Care Workers offer practical assistance and professional support and after hours support.

How old are the children?

The children in OzChild's Foster Care program are aged between 0-12 years.

How long do Foster Carers have children for?

  • Some Foster Carers provide respite care for a child or children for a planned period, either to give the child's birth parents, or primary Foster Carer, a break.
  • Some Foster Carers provide regular weekend respite care for the same child or children monthly in an ongoing role, rather like an "Auntie", "Uncle" or "Grandparent" might do
  • Some Foster Carers provide emergency care to children that are removed from their birth parents at night or on weekends
  • Other Foster Carers provide short or long term care for children.

How many children do Foster Carers care for?

  • We always check in with our Foster Carers prior to any placement commencing, how many children they want to take on depending on the household
  • Foster Carers can care for one child, for a number of unrelated children, or for a related sibling group, depending on their capacity and space
  • We try to limit the number of children aged under 18 that Foster Carers might have in their home at any one time, including their own biological children, to about four, depending on the needs of all the children in the home
  • OzChild offers a specialised sibling group program, wherein we try to place related children who enter care together in the one Foster Carer's home.  Such sibling groups can range from 2 to 6 children.

How much space do I need?

  • Foster Carers can live in a house, apartment or flat
  • Children in care need their own bedroom, related children can be placed in the same room if appropriate
  • If a Foster Carer owns (or has a mortgage for) their own home, bungalows can sometimes be provided to fit in the yard to accommodate older children in the home thus freeing up room inside the house for a foster child, or to accommodate an older foster child in the bungalow.

Without volunteers many of OzChild's programs cannot run.  Please contact us here to find out about volunteering with our Foster Care Program.