Call out for foster carers

AS Anglicare Victoria looks towards celebrating their foster carers during an annual campaign next week, they’ll also be looking to recruit new ones to fill a carer shortage that’s now reached crisis point.

During Foster Care Week, held from 12 to 18 September, team leader of care giving services Sarah Daykin said the agency hopes to highlight the need for more carers.

“The COVID pandemic has really put pressure on the current carers that we do have, resulting in them needing to take a well-earned break which then leaves us in a position where we have children being referred to the foster care program that we’re actually not able to place into care because we don’t have the foster carers available,” she said.

“Because of that, we have children that are needing to be placed outside of our region which means they’re being placed away from their families, school, friends, brothers and sisters that they really have a great support network from.

“It’s really sad that we’re in that position and it’s definitely one that’s at crisis point at the moment.”

Ms Daykin said Anglicare Victoria anticipated some 90 additional carers were needed to meet their current demand, while across all Victorian foster care agencies that number could exceed 700.

“Over the last three months for instance, we had referrals for about 165 children coming through the door and over half of them at least we weren’t able to place in care in our area,” she said.

“We’re having to turn away vulnerable children because we just don’t have homes for them which is really unfortunate.”

Through Anglicare Victoria’s program, foster carers provide respite, emergency, short or long-term care for children up to 18 years of age.

Ms Daykin said people from all walks of life could become a foster carer, so long as they’re above the age of 21.

“The difference you can make in the lives of these vulnerable children is so good,” she said.

“Whether it’s one night or a week, these children will remember what you’ve been able to offer them forever and I think that’s really important for some of these kids who get moved around so often because of the shortage of carers,” she said.

It’s a sentiment that high school art teacher and foster carer of two years Alanah Brand echoes.

Most recently, she cared for a young girl for 19 months and has provided both short and long-term care for eight children.

“I decided to become a foster carer because through my job as a teacher I could see that there was a need for foster carers and that there were lots of students in group housing,” she said.

“Kids are our future and we want them to have the best possible start in life and it’s just a bit heartbreaking that some kids don’t get that.”

Ms Brand said people should consider becoming a foster carer “because you’re caring for children when they’re most vulnerable.”

“When children are away from their families, they’re in their most vulnerable place and that’s when they need the most love,” she said.

“It’s about you loving them and helping them through it because it’s really hard for kids to not be with their families.

“I think there’s a lot of joy to be had as well. All the kids I’ve cared for, I’ve really loved them and I think they’ve enriched my life as well.”

For more information about Anglicare Victoria’s foster care program, visit anglicarevic.org.au/fostering.