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Give a Baby a Loving Start, Foster with OzChild

Provide a Safe and Loving Home for Vulnerable Babies. Discover How You Can Help with OzChild.

The first steps in life matter. Be there for a baby who needs you.

Each year, many infants face uncertain beginnings. By fostering a baby with OzChild, you can offer the love and stability they desperately need in their first year of life.

Whether you can provide care for a few months or a couple of years, your support can make all the difference during a baby’s most critical developmental period.

“When I first became a foster carer, I didn’t realise how much of a difference a loving home could make to a child. With the training and support from OzChild, I felt confident and prepared to caring for little ones.”

Sarah, OzChild Foster Carer Carer

Why Foster a Baby with OzChild?

Provide a Nurturing Start:
Babies thrive in a loving, stable environment where they can feel safe and secure from day one.
Experience the Joy of Making a Difference:
Caring for a baby offers the unique fulfilment of helping them grow during their most formative stage

Shape Their Future with Early Care:
The first year is crucial for development, and your support can give a baby the best chance for a healthy, happy life.
Be the Change They Need:
By opening your home, you’ll play a vital role in a baby’s journey, creating a foundation for lifelong success.

Working Full-Time, Single, Renting, Living With a Disability

Are you eligible to become a carer?

Everybody is capable of caring. Foster carers come from a diverse range of cultures, religions, sexual orientations, families and marital status. And yes, single people make great foster carers too!

What’s most important is your capacity to help a child thrive.

You can become a foster carer with OzChild if you:

Are over 21
Live in our service area
Can provide a clean and safe living home environment
Have a spare bedroom (it’s ideal to have a spare bedroom, but it’s OK if you don’t, as babies under the age of one year of age can sleep in a cot in your bedroom)
Have the time to care for a baby in need (the primary carer can’t be working full-time, but caring for babies can be combined with flexible casual work or studying)
Are willing to nurture someone else’s child who’s going through a difficult time

Sound like it could work for you?

How OzChild Supports You

We understand that fostering a baby is a significant commitment, and we are here to support you every step of the way:

Training and Resources: You will attend comprehensive foster care training to prepare you for the first baby in your care.
Financial Assistance: As a carer for a baby, you will receive a carer allowance of $446 per fortnight. In addition, you will receive $70 per fortnight for the first six months to help you set up the house for a baby (cot, car seat, (start-up allowance).
24/7 Support: You will have access to a dedicated support team available around the clock.
Buddy support: You will be matched with an experienced foster carer buddy who will be there to help you navigate the wonderful world of fostering.
Respite Care: You can access respite one weekend a month or when needed to give you a break when needed.
Community Connections: You have plenty of opportunities to connect with other foster carers for mutual support and advice. This community of carers is always happy to lend you things like car seats, cots, clothes, etc.

Your Path to Becoming a Foster Carer

OzChild Foster Care Process

Becoming a foster carer is a journey with plenty of support and guidance. The process takes approximately 4-6 months.

Begin by contacting OzChild to express your interest in fostering. Our team will provide you with all the information you need to get started.

Join one of our online information sessions to get a detailed overview of the fostering process and hear directly from experienced foster carers.

Submit your application and undergo a screening process to ensure a great fit. We’ll guide you through each step and answer any questions you may have.

Participate in comprehensive training that prepares you for the unique challenges and rewards of fostering a baby. Our dedicated team will also provide ongoing support.

Once you’re approved, you’ll be matched with a baby who needs a safe, nurturing environment. Our team will be there to support you every step of the way.

If you have any more questions or need further details, feel free to ask!

Have Questions? We Have Answers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Some of these newborns will leave the hospital and be placed for adoption. They need a safe place to stay until they find their permanent families. Other babies might have just entered foster care and need looking after until they return to their birth parents or go to long-term carers, which could take a few months or even a few years.

Even a few months of care provides a baby with the stability and love they need during critical developmental stages.

Yes, a baby can go to childcare. However, it is crucial that during the early years, the baby is looked after by a consistent caregiver to ensure stability and emotional security, which are vital for their development. If necessary, babies can sometimes start attending childcare from around six months onwards.

For babies under one-year-old, it’s perfectly fine to have the baby in a cot in your bedroom. This means you can still care for babies if you don’t have a spare bedroom.

Yes, you can, if you can be home full-time to care for the baby. Fostering a baby is a substantial commitment that requires a significant amount of time and attention. As a single person, you would need to demonstrate that you have a reliable support system in place, such as family or friends who can assist you if needed.

No, to protect the baby’s health, it’s essential to avoid exposure to smoke as it can increase the risk of respiratory problems, SIDS, and other serious health issues.

Individuals caring for infants are advised to remain at home full-time to ensure proper care and attention for babies aged six months or younger. Beyond this point, enrolling the child in daycare can be an option. If you have flexible part-time or casual work arrangements, fostering infants might be feasible. If you are currently studying part-time and are considering caring for babies, please submit your enquiry, and we’ll give you a call to discuss your circumstances.

Caring for babies can be challenging and exhausting, so we offer respite care options to give you a break when needed.

It is recommended that you have some experience caring for babies, either from your own biological children, childcare work, or babysitting on a regular basis.

If you find that caring for infants isn’t suitable for you, for example, due to your work commitments, there are other options available. We are always in need of dedicated individuals to care for children aged 2-17. This can include weekend care, short-term placements, or even long-term commitments. Your involvement in any capacity can make a significant difference in a child’s life. To read more about becoming a foster carer for other ages, please click here.

Absolutely, as long as you think you have thought about juggling caring for a baby whilst raising your own kids. It is important that you speak with your own kids about it, as fostering will have a significant impact on your kids. We can assist you with having age-appropriate conversations with your kids.

Foster care involves temporarily looking after another’s child due to safety concerns. When a newborn is up for adoption, you care for them only until they are adopted. Sometimes, temporary care can extend for years and become permanent, but this isn’t guaranteed. For adoption details, visit https://www.vic.gov.au/adopt-child-victoria.

We need your help

Every baby deserves a safe and loving start. With your help, we can make that possible. Whether you can foster for a short or long period, OzChild is here to support you every step of the way. Explore what it means to foster a baby with OzChild and be part of something truly life-changing.