The Circle Program

The key focus of The Circle Program is the importance of the primary relationship between a foster carer and child as an opportunity for healing and integrating previous traumatic experience.

Circle carers are recruited with the expectation that they are able to provide stable care for a child or young person whilst permanency planning occurs. Circle carers will also have availability to be the primary source of support in navigating complex experiences such as family contact, attendance at kinder and school, involvement in the case planning and court process.

An important component of the program is the provision of regular Care Teams, where the discussion includes the needs of a child or young person across all of the Looking After Children dimensions, with particular reference to emotional needs. Care team meetings include the carer, therapeutic specialist and the Ozchild caseworker.

The Circle Program is provided in partnership between OzChild and the Australian Childhood Foundation, who provide therapeutic services for children and young people.

Circle Caregivers complete extensive training before being accredited with The Circle Program.

Children and young people are allocated to the Circle Program by OzChild.