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Become a PaTH Foster Carer
PaTH stands for “Path to Healing”
It is OzChild’s therapeutic foster care program, designed to help children and young people who have experienced trauma, abuse, or disruption find a positive way forward in life. The PaTH program in Victoria gives carers extra training and support so they can guide children along their own path to recovery and a brighter future.
Are you thinking about foster care and want to help children who need extra support? OzChild’s PaTH program is a special kind of foster care for kids and teens who have had tough experiences and need a caring adult to help them heal and grow.
What is PaTH Foster Care?
PaTH carers look after children and young people aged 1 to 17 who might have special needs, challenging behaviours, or be part of sibling groups. These kids have often faced trauma, family breakdowns, or other challenges. As a PaTH carer, you will give them a safe, loving home and help them get back on track.
Children may remain with their PaTH carer long-term if they no longer require the additional support from the PaTH program and can transition to ‘general’ foster care.
Who can be a PaTH carer?
- You do not need any qualifications to become a PaTH carer in Victoria.
- You need a spare bedroom.
- Anyone over 18 can apply.
- You do not need to be a parent, own your home, or have a certain background.
- You can work Full time or Part time
What matters is your willingness to support a child and work as part of a team. Brand new foster carers can become PaTH carers straight away, however some new carers prefer to get some fostering experience under their belt before transitioning to the PaTH program.
What’s involved?
- Commitment: PaTH carers usually care for children for at least 6 months as this helps provide stability and a chance for each child to heal.
- Extra support. You will have access to a Therapeutic Specialist who provides in-home therapeutic coaching to help you understand and meet the child’s needs. Your OzChild support team in this program have a low case load which means they will provide you with increased attention and support.
- Team approach. Together with the Therapeutic Specialist and the Case Manager, we will map out the best way to care for the child, with regular meetings and planning.
- Ongoing training and coaching. You will get special PaTH training, where you will learn how to care for a child with additional needs, plus ongoing workshops and coaching to build your skills and confidence.
- 24/7 support. There is always someone to help if you need advice or face a tricky situation.
- Financial assistance. PaTH carers receive greater financial support than foster carers. The tax-free carer allowance ranges from $630 to $1864, paid fortnightly, depending on the age and complexity of the child.
The children in this program:
- Are between 1 and 17 years old
- Will have more intensive or complex needs, for example special needs or challenging behaviours
- Are sometimes part of sibling groups
- Need extra support to heal from trauma or difficult experiences
What Makes PaTH Different?
- You are never alone. There is a team to support you and the child.
- You will be part of planning how to best care for the child.
- You will get specialist training and ongoing coaching.
- The program uses special tools to help carers and the support team understand how a child is doing day-to-day. For example:
- The Parent Daily Report (PDR) is phone-based support three times per week from OzChild where you note things like the child’s mood, behaviour, and any challenges or successes that happened that day. We also monitor your wellbeing as a carer and identify what extra support you might need.
- The Strengths & Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is a simple survey that helps spot any emotional or behavioural issues, as well as the child’s strengths.
By using these tools regularly, the team can quickly see if a child’s needs are changing and adjust the care plan to give the right support at the right time. This helps make sure every child gets the help they need, when they need it.
The Process
Throughout the accreditation process for foster care, we will explore with you whether becoming a PaTH carer is the right fit. You would follow the foster care process, but you will also receive Therapeutic foster care training. After completing this training, you will do a secondary Therapeutic assessment to become an accredited PaTH carer.
If you’re not sure about becoming a PaTH carer to start with, don’t worry, you can always become a PaTH carer once you have some foster care experience under your belt.
Frequently Asked Questions
You might be wondering…
Foster care is volunteer work but you will receive a tax-free fortnightly carer allowance. The allowance contributes towards the day-to-day costs of caring for a child or young person, like food, clothes, an increase in electricity, etc. The carer allowance starts from $630 per fortnight (Approx. $16k per year tax-free) and increases based on the age and needs of the child in your care.
The ATO does not classify the carer allowance as income and you might also be eligible for Family Tax Benefit A/B depending on your household income. Childcare and After-School care fees are generally also covered by government subsidies.
Other financial supports available to foster carers are:
Each carer is supported by a team of professionals, including a:
Comprehensive Training and Development
PaTH Therapeutic Foster Carers also receive:
PaTH is not a light touch model. Carers are supported by an experienced care team, with specialist guidance and 24/7 on call support.
OzChild is particularly skilled in caring for children with additional needs, including complex behaviours and developmental challenges. While OzChild has supported children and families for over 175 years, we also embrace innovation, evidence-informed practice and the use of technology to improve outcomes. Our CEO, Dr Lisa J. Griffiths, is a strong national advocate for children in foster care, campaigning for practical system reforms such as improved health access for children in care (including a proposed gold card), better workplace leave entitlements for carers, and stronger government investment to ensure children and carers get the support they need.
Ready to Learn More?
If you’re keen to find out more about what is involved in becoming a PaTH carer, please let us know at any point throughout your accreditation process, or email us.
