FROM this Sunday, 12 September, Cafs will be taking part in local celebrations of Foster Care Week.<\/p>\n
Running until Saturday, 18 September, the seven days are designed to spotlight the importance of foster care which supports children – from infants to adolescents – throughout the community, and champion the valuable and generous people providing nurturing, practical, emotional and healing care.<\/p>\n
CEO Wendy Sturgess said Cafs is also using the week as an opportunity to encourage more individuals and families to consider becoming foster carers.<\/p>\n
\u201cFoster carers provide an essential service for children who are unable to stay in their family home,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis financial year, Cafs\u2019 foster carers cared for 79 children through this program in either ongoing or emergency placements.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had 99 enquiries from families to become foster carers, and we recruited 11 new foster carers this year.<\/p>\n
From this Sunday, a six-part video series produced by Cafs will be live on their YouTube and Facebook pages, sharing the perspectives and stories of foster carers who have welcomed children into their homes, and hearts.<\/p>\n
The clips aim to educate potential foster carers and debunk myths.<\/p>\n
\u201cCafs is excited to be sharing what the foster care experience is like from the point of view of a Cafs foster carer,\u201d Ms Sturgess said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe hope that by sharing this first-hand experience, there may be more members from the community that will be willing to take the first step in becoming a foster carer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Manager of home-based care Tracey Savage said Cafs\u2019 pool of foster carers is a diverse one.<\/p>\n
\u201cFoster carers come from many different backgrounds. They can be single, or have a partner, have no children or have children of their own,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey can rent or own their home, work, study or be retired and can be from any culture, religion or sexual orientation.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you can provide a safe and nurturing home for a child, we want to hear from you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Foster carer Lee Van Leeuwen said the Cafs\u2019 team, including case managers and practitioners, have a \u201cbeautiful\u201d nature.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019ve always got your back. Especially during COVID, they\u2019re always phoning to ask, \u2018are you ok? Do you need anything?\u2019 They\u2019re wonderful people,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
FROM this Sunday, 12 September, Cafs will be taking part in local celebrations of Foster Care Week. Running until Saturday, 18 September, the seven days are designed to spotlight the importance of foster care which supports children – from infants to adolescents – throughout the community, and champion the valuable and generous people providing nurturing, […]<\/p>\n