IT\u2019S Victoria\u2019s inaugural Kinship Carers Week, and Child and Family Services, Berry Street and Ballarat and District Aboriginal Co-Operative united on Monday to celebrate.<\/p>\n
The welfare groups brought together kinship carers from across the Grampians region for morning tea, to thank and congratulate them for the work they do, looking after children.<\/p>\n
Cafs Kinship Care Team Leader, Toni Schiltz said it was a good social opportunity to encourage networking between likeminded guardians, who have \u201camazing commitment and dedication,\u201d but can often feel isolated.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe majority of kinship carers are grandparents parenting for a second time, aunts, uncles, cousins, older siblings or significant others, but not relations,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cEssentially, our Kinship Carers are volunteers who may be parenting for a short time or until the child reaches adulthood \u201cThey have children in statutory care or they\u2019re informal carers, which means they\u2019re private arrangements with family.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kinship carer, Vivienne Wilson has discovered a support network of people with similar lived experiences at events like Monday\u2019s morning tea.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s great to know that you\u2019re not alone, you experience similar things and you get to exchange different ideas and strategies,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Ms Schiltz has been in her role for six years and is continuously inspired by kinship carers\u2019 stories.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat they\u2019re doing is incredible. We\u2019re proud to share their journey with them,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome of our children reach permanent care, where they go into their forever homes with their kinship carers, and that\u2019s lovely to see.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
IT\u2019S Victoria\u2019s inaugural Kinship Carers Week, and Child and Family Services, Berry Street and Ballarat and District Aboriginal Co-Operative united on Monday to celebrate. The welfare groups brought together kinship carers from across the Grampians region for morning tea, to thank and congratulate them for the work they do, looking after children. Cafs Kinship Care […]<\/p>\n