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REFORMS PUT PRESSURE ON FOSTER CARERS
Caring for a child is one of the most demanding jobs in the world, but for foster carers in New South Wales, changes in child protection are making it harder to provide their vital service.
A switch to the non-government sector has seen extra strain put on the already fragile system, and carers are crying out for help.
Georgina Smyth reports.
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Yes being a sole carer of 4 kids 11-7 yrs with respite 1 weekend every 2 months with a non goverment agency is hard after having fortnightly for 3+yrs when we were with D.O.C.S and having the kids shuffled to strangers after building a relationship with 1 carer for 2 yrs is hard on the kids especially when 1 suffers from separation anxiety
I am the niece of Jean Purdue…She does so much for Dj with out any help from DOCS. The department wants people to take on their kids but yet they don’t help the foster families who do. The department needs to start taking care of their kids because if they don’t than these children will get lost in the system.
We have shared our home with 25 children. We have met many Carers who have not been supported by their Agency. I would very like to transition our children to Challenge Melissa but I doubt if that would possible. I know Chris Brown is an experienced person with a great personality and you’re fortunate to have him. The interview we had covered a lot of areas – a lot was edited & I certainly did not know how we would be ‘packaged’. Even when we had a horrendous experience with our previous Fostering Agency Marshall and I encouraged people to Foster – we just pointed them to Agencies such as yours! Our Agency is new and our first Casewoker let us down – failing to come to 5 appointments in a row. He was sacked. Our renumeration is about $700 a fortnight less for us too, compared to LWB & Challenge- a point we didn’t realise until we were matched to 5 children. We were assured ‘respite’ once a month too – so be could spend time with our own 2 sons & the Agency said “they would make it happen” – we sourced our own Respite Carer but it certainly is not happening like it should. I’d like to know – have you ever Fostered? We have a friend who has taken on 5 Kinship children – she’s currently with the Dpt – are you taking more children on your books?
Hi, I have been a Carer for over 3 years and to say I am disappointed with the system and the agency we are with is an understatement, I actually missed the story but was made aware of it by a letter that was sent by my agency informing me about it and telling me what they spend the money retained by them on , so I obviously got on the internet to watch for myself ( the letter also states I cannot share the information in it and am not to talk to the media without their permission.)
I quite frankly was in disbelief at what I read in my letter from the agency as on a list of 10 items they apparently use the money retained for, I have requested at least 7 of these and it has not be forth coming. After 3 years of requesting and me being at my wits end, they are now considering some of these requests.
I too would quite frankly come out of the system altogether if it were not for the love of the two boys in my care as I am tired for fighting for every little thing and dealing with the political nature of being a Carer when all I want is to advocate for my two boys and give them the best start in life I can.