CULTURAL JOURNEYZ

Foster care is when a child or young person is unable to live with their own family.

There are many factors why a child or young person is unable to live with their own family, this can be due a number of reasons such as drug and alcohol misuse, domestic violence, mental health, family breakdowns that may affect a parent’s ability to parent a child or young person.

Becoming a foster carer is a significant role and provides a safe, stable and nurturing environment for children and young people.

A child or young person may enter the care system from birth up to 17 years of age and will generally have differing care needs and have had different experiences. A child or young person may require care for overnight, a few months or until they reach the age of 18, depending on their circumstances.

Some children or young people are able to return to their family after living in a foster home, while others will require to live with a family long term until they are able to live independently.

Some children and young people receive respite care, which is regular care for one weekend a month or a fortnight, to give their parents or foster carer a break.

Foster carers play a significant role in a child or young person’s life through nurturing, meeting their daily needs and helping a child or young person feel safe and secure in the family home.

A foster carer provides a child or young person with safe boundaries and encourages positive behaviours.

It is important that all children and young people maintain strong family relationships, this is continually maintained by regular and consistent contact with birth parents and extended family. A foster carer plays an important role with maintaining family relationships by being positive about these relationships and supporting family contact both before and after this occurs. Family contact gives a child a sense of identity as well as supports a child or young person’s cultural identity.

A foster carer must also be a part of the Muloobinba team. A foster carer is involved in making decisions about a child or young person as well as working with staff to develop a case plan for children and young people who are in their care.

Foster carers also have a significant role in maintaining the confidentiality of a child or young person who is in their care as well as for the birth parents and extended family.

There are different types of foster care;

Respite care

This provides care of a child or young person for intermittent periods of time such as a weekend a month or a few days as a one off opportunity to give families a rest or provide additional opportunities for a child or young person. Respite care can assist keeping families together as well as support current foster care placements as well as provide a child or young person the opportunity to experience a different family environment.

Emergency care

Emergency placements involve providing care to a child or young person who requires somewhere safe to stay immediately, this is generally for a few nights, however may at times be longer.

Short term care

Short term care provides a child or young person a placement for a limited period of time, this can be for a few nights or up to 12 months in duration.

Short term is generally due to difficulties that may arise at home, family illness or crisis or where there has been intervention by Family and Community Services.

Foster carers who provide children or young people with short term care assist in maintaining their relationship with their family, this may be supporting contact with their family, supporting a child or young person after they have contact with their family and being supportive and positive of a child or young person returning to live with their family.

Restoration care

Restoration carers provides a child or young person with a safe placement in order to support birth parents to work on themselves so restoration is a sustainable possibility. Family placements are generally sought during the initial period so restoration can also include a child or young person being reunited with a family member.

Restoration can be up to 2 years, depending on the court orders and length of time.

Restoration carers play a significant role in the success of restoration

Long term care

Long term placements provide a stable home generally until a child or young person until they turn 18, this is long term in the event that a child or young person is unable to live with their family.

From the very beginning a child or young person has an instant care team, an allocated caseworker, carer support and a family and culture caseworker, all working to identify, implement and support the child or young person, the carer household and the child and young person’s family.

Muloobinba provides as much information as possible about a child or young person and financial support is available and ongoing.

We first work with carers to see what the child or young person may need to settle into the home.

Some kids come into care without many personal belongings so it is important to ensure that all kids have what they need. We also work with the family to see what personal items the child or young person may have that may help them settle.

Foster carers also receive a fortnightly carer allowance to assist in meeting the everyday needs of a child or young person.

The Assessment Process

There are a number of steps involved in becoming a foster carer.

By undertaking these steps, you will gain a better understanding on whether becoming a foster carer is the right decision for you and your family. At any time throughout the stages of becoming a foster carer you can decide not to continue with your application. Applications can take anywhere up to 3 months, sometimes longer.

Initial Enquiry

An enquiry is registered of your interest to become a foster carer and information is sent on what is involved and how to become a foster carer.

Information sharing and meeting

Information is sent to you which provides more details on the role of a foster carer as well as expectations.

A meeting is then organised at either Muloobinba’s office or in your home. This enables you to meet representatives of the organisation and the opportunity to ask questions and receive further information on becoming a foster carer.

Representatives of Muloobina’s Cultural Journeyz team will also be able to share some non-identifying stories of the children and young people we care for as well as the experiences of some of our carers.

An application form is then provided for you to become a foster carer.

Once a completed copy of the application form is received, Muloobinba will be in touch to arrange an assessment and training. All members of your household will undertake the assessment process.

Part of the assessment of becoming a foster carer includes a number of checks including:

Home safety check

The home safety check allows Muloobinba to ensure the housing environment is physically safe and suitable for children and young people that may be placed with you.

If there are any concerns identified during this check, this will be discussed with you in order to rectify.

Health check

Health checks are an important part of the assessment process. This ensures carers are physically and psychologically healthy to undertake the important role of foster carer.

You will be asked to complete a Carer Health Check that will ask questions in relation to your:

Physical and emotional health

Any current or past illnesses or medical issues

Use of medication (prescribed or unprescribed)

Smoking (if applicable)

You will also be asked to sign a Consent for Release of Medical Information that will then be sent to your local doctor along with a Carer Medical Questionnaire. The questions in the questionnaire reflect the information outlined above.

If there are any medical issues that are identified that may affect your suitability to foster, this will be discussed with you to work out the potential impacts on children and young people that may be placed with you.

National Criminal Record Check

Having a criminal record does not necessarily prevent you from applying to become a foster carer. Each application is assessed on an individual basis and your eligibility will depend on the type of offence and when it was committed.

There are certain child related offences and other serious crimes which prevent applicants from becoming foster carers.

Upon completing your application to become a foster carer, with your consent Muloobinba will complete a national criminal record check of any household member over the age of 16 years old.

Reference checks

You will be asked to provide the names of two people who have known you for at least 2 years and are able to make comments on your ability and experience to care for children as well as your personal character.

Identity check

Each applicant will be asked to provide 4 proof of identity documents.

This includes:

• one commencement of identity document such as an original Australian Birth Certificate or Passport

• one primary use in the community document such as a driver’s licence, proof of age card or overseas passport

• two secondary use in the community documents such as medicare card, bank statement credit card etc

Working with Children Check

A Working with Children Check is a requirement for people who work or volunteer in child-related work. It involves a national criminal history check and a review of findings of workplace misconduct.

You can apply for a Working with Children Check number on the Children’s Guardian website http://www.kidsguardian.nsw.gov.au/working-with-children

Shared Lives Training

Shared Lives is the core training that is required to be undertaken prior to becoming an authorised carer.

This training provides information to prospective carers that includes:

• Promoting positive behaviour

• Exploding the myths of fostering

• Supporting family contact

• Separation, trauma and grief

• Being support

• Helping children feel safe