Step by step VictoriaFoster care information pack
Foster care
information pack
Step by step Victoria
A competency-based resource for
assessing potential foster carers
This information pack should be sent to potential applicants, including those referred from the hotline, within one week of their initial enquiry.
Foster care community service organisations should adapt the enclosed letter to potential applicants to suit their organisation (for example, include the community service organisation name and contact details). They should also include organisation-specific information, such as their brochures, in this information pack.
If potential applicants have not made contact with the foster care community service organisation to go ahead with their application within four weeks of the organisation having sent them an information pack, the community service organisation should make contact with them to see whether they require any additional information or to discuss the reasons for their not wanting to proceed to the next stage.
Published by the Victorian Government Department of Human Services, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
November 2006
© Copyright State of Victoria, Department of Human Services, 2006.
This publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968.
Authorised by the Victorian Government, 50 Lonsdale St, Melbourne.
Contents
Letter from the foster care community
service organisation to the enquirer1
Fact sheet: Information about foster care2
Steps to becoming a foster carer8
Fact sheet: Foster care reimbursement
and payments9
Personal experiences of foster care11
1
Step by step VictoriaFoster care information pack
Letter from foster care community
service organisation to the enquirer
<------Insert ------>
Community service organisation letterhead
Name
Address
Postcode
Date
Dear <----- Insert -----> (First name)
Thank you for taking the time to inquire about becoming a foster carer. Foster carers come from all types of backgrounds and families. Foster carers can be individuals, couples or part of a family. Foster carers are culturally, religiously and ethnically diverse, male or female and come from a range of age groups. What is important is that foster carers can provide a safe and nurturing environment for children and young people who need care.
Enclosed in this information pack is a brochure that tells you about our foster care community service organisation. Information about foster care, such as what foster care is, who needs foster care, who foster carers are, what foster carers do, what foster care community service organisations are, how to become a foster carer, how foster carers are supported, and the next steps from here, is included in this information pack.
Please feel free to share this information with your family and friends. The information pack raises important questions you should consider with your partner, your children or other significant people in your life.
If you would like to go ahead with finding out more about fostering by (attending an initial information session or participating in an initial home visit) (community service organisation to delete as applicable), or you have any questions, please contact (name and position, community service organisation name, and contact number).
If we have not heard from you in the next few weeks, someone from our community service organisation will contact you again to see whether you require further information to help you to decide whether or not you would like to start the process of becoming a foster carer.
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours sincerely
<----- Insert signature ----- >
(Either foster care community service organisation manager or recruitment officer)
Information about foster care
What is foster care?
Foster care is care provided by people in their own homes for children and young people who cannot live with their families.
Where it is in their best interest, children and young people are reunited back with their natural family as soon as possible.
Who can become a foster carer?
Foster carers come from all types of backgrounds and families. Foster carers can be individuals, couples or part of a family. Foster carers can work part time or full time or be at home full time. Foster carers are culturally, religiously and ethnically diverse, male or female, and come from a range of age groups. What is important is that foster carers can provide a safe and nurturing environment for children and young people who need care. Foster carers must show a commitment to meeting the needs of the children and young people they are looking after. This includes an acceptance of individual diversity and difference. They must also be able to work as part of a team.
As part of the assessment process for becoming a foster carer, you will be required to complete a number of screening checks, including a health check, referee checks, a home and environment check, police checks and Working with Children Checks. Other people over 18 years of age living in your household need to have a police check and in some circumstance may also need a Working with Children Check. You can clarify this with your community service organisation.
You will also be required to attend training before being approved as a foster carer and commencing in the role of caring for children and young people.
Who needs foster care?
Children and young people from birth to 18 years of age can need foster care.
The decision to place a child or young person in foster care can be made by either the Child Protection service, which is part of the Department of Human Services, or the child or young person’s family. Foster care may be required for children or young people who have had a number of difficult experiences, including the death or illness of family members, coming from a family that requires extra support, being abused or neglected, displaying at-risk behaviour and their parents being unable to protect them, or being homeless.
Children and young people may enter foster care individually or as a sibling group. They may have a disability and may display emotional or behavioural difficulties or mental health problems.
What do foster carers do?
Foster carers look after children and young people in their own home. A foster carer and their family provide care, support and stability for a child or young person in a caring home environment.
Foster carers play an important role in caring for children and young people. They help children and young people to keep in touch with their parents, brothers, sisters and other significant people. This is usually done through regular planned visits. As part of their role, foster carers may be required at times to transport children and young people to appointments, pick them up from school when they are sick, or take them to activities, such as football training or ballet.
Foster carers are part of what is known as the ‘care team’, which is the group of people who share the parenting responsibilities for a child or young person while they are living away from their family. The ‘care team’ usually involves the parents, the foster carer, the foster care community service organisation caseworker, the Child Protection worker and any other significant adults, all working together to consider the things that any good parent would naturally consider when caring for their own children. To help everyone to do this, there is a tool for good practice called Looking After Children. You will learn more about Looking After Children as you find out more about fostering.
Types of foster care programs
Foster care
For children and young people up to 18 years of age on a temporary basis from a few days to a period of years.
Adolescent community placement
For young people aged 12 to 18 years who are experiencing crisis and are unable to live with their families for a range of reasons for a period of time.
Intensive home-based care
Care for children and young people with intensive needs up to the age of 18 years. Their additional needs may be behavioural, emotional or physical and are significantly greater than those of children in general foster care. Foster carers who care for these children or young people are given additional training, reimbursement and support.
This category includes Shared family care, for children and young people with a developmental delay (aged zero to six years) or an intellectual disability (aged six to 18 years). Care can be emergency, respite, or continuous care where the family is unable to continue caring.
Complex home-based care
Usually one-to-one care for children and young people aged seven to 18 years with very high, complex needs. A small proportion of children and young people who come into care have extremely high needs and a range of behaviours requiring more specialised care and support. For foster carers who choose to care for these children and young people there is additional training, reimbursement and support available. You should speak to your local foster care community service organisation for more information.
What are foster care community service organisations?
Foster care community service organisations are funded by the Department of Human Services to provide foster care programs. Foster care community service organisations ensure high quality care is provided for children and young people who cannot live with their own family for a period of time.
The safety and wellbeing of children and young people in foster care is of prime importance. Foster carers are required to provide a level of care that is consistent with or exceeds the Minimum standards and outcome objectives for home-based care services in Victoria. The standards are in line with what the community expects a good parent should provide for a child or young person and form the basis for assessing whether the care given to children and young people is adequate.
In line with the standards, all people interested in becoming foster carers are assessed, trained and approved by the foster care community service organisation. As outlined, as part of the assessment process you will be required to complete a number of screening checks. You will also need to participate in several interviews with assessors from the foster care community service organisation.
Once you are approved as a foster carer, staff from the foster care community service organisation will provide support, regular supervision, ongoing training and information.
The rewards of foster care
People who make the decision to become foster carers are willing to share their lives with children and young people in need of care and stability, demonstrating incredible dedication and commitment. It is important to remember that caring for a child or young person can also be very rewarding.
As a foster carer, you will provide a child or young person with a caring, nurturing and positive family environment—essential elements for any child! Many foster carers and their families have experienced a sense of satisfaction and achievement in playing such a major role in a child or young person’s life by providing them with safety, security, support and a positive family experience.
An adolescent carer says, ‘Caring for a teenager in your own home is more rewarding than most people think … something as small as a ‘thank you for listening’ or ‘thank you for understanding’ is the first step in what might be an amazing friendship between teen and adult’.
A foster carer says, ‘Being a foster carer is a very important part of my life … It has not always been easy to let go … But in the end it has all been worth it—to know that you have made a difference in the life of one child’.
Another foster carer says, ‘Primary school children are a delight to foster—old enough to learn and young enough to listen … Foster caring is wonderfully rewarding, positive learning, challenging to all, but to see a young child grow into a happy and healthy young child/person is the best reward of all’.
What are some important questions that I should consider?
As foster care involves the entire family, partners, children, grandparents and others need to understand how it may impact them. If you are considering becoming a foster carer you need to ask yourself and your family a number of important questions:
Lifestyle changes
Having another child or young person living with you may require a number of lifestyle changes. Have you considered these changes? Are you and your family able to adjust to additional members? If you have children, think carefully about their needs and make sure you talk to them about this.
Behaviours
A child or young person in foster care may display difficult behaviours. The experience of managing challenging behaviours can at times be frustrating. For each step forward there may be two steps backwards. It is important to recognise that the child or young person may have had a number of difficult experiences, including separation, grief and loss. How do you feel you will cope in dealing with these behaviours and experiences?
Challenges
Caring for a child or young person can be quite challenging. Foster carers need to have enough time, energy, and space available (both physically and emotionally). Is this the right time in your life and in your family’s life for new challenges?
Natural family and reunification
Where possible, children and young people in foster care are reunited back with their family. The decision making process and the need to help children and young people move on can sometimes raise a number of issues and feelings for foster carers related to their own values. Are you prepared to consider these things when making a decision to become a foster carer?
If I have a police record will I still be eligible to become a foster carer?
A police record would not automatically stop you from being approved as a foster carer. It would depend on the type and recency of the offence; however, certain offences, such as sexual or physical abuse, particularly of a child, would rule out approval.
What healthy environment standards do I need to be aware of?
Foster carers need to ensure children and young people are being cared for in a healthy environment at their home. Things you need to be aware of include infection control procedures (training will be provided) and ensuring there is no smoking in the home.
How are foster carers supported?
Foster care community service organisations provide regular support to carers through telephone calls, home visits, and afterhours support. You will also receive regular supervision sessions. As a foster carer you will receive training in dealing with some of the challenges and behaviours. You’ll never be alone in caring for a child or young person, and will receive ongoing support in your role.
Foster carers can receive support through broader statewide networks with other foster carers, such as support groups and telephone linkups. Social events organised by the foster care community service organisation can also provide a good source of support through networking with other foster carers.
Once approved by their community service organisation, foster carers are required to undertake ongoing training, and this is another way to gain valuable information, knowledge and support from the community service organisation workers and other carers.
The Foster Care Association of Victoria represents all Victorian foster carers. The association is made up of foster carers who volunteer their time to advocate for foster carers and the children and young people in their care to government, foster care community service organisations and the wider community.
Are foster carers paid?
Foster carers receive a reimbursement towards the day-to-day costs of caring for a child or young person. Payments are made fortnightly directly into the foster carer’s bank account by the Department of Human Services. Where extra expenses are incurred beyond what is considered the ordinary costs of care, additional financial support may be available. Foster care community service organisations will be able to provide you with more information about reimbursements.
How do I become a foster carer?
Becoming a foster carer involves a number of steps. You will go through a process of assessment, including undergoing the screening checks outlined earlier, and pre-service training before you can be approved as a foster carer. This may take a few months.
How do I find out more?
If you are interested in finding out more about foster care, contact the community service organisation listed below to find out when their next information session is being held. Some community service organisations arrange a home visit instead of an information session.