Foster Carer – who are you?
More than 43,000 children are in out-of-home care in Australia, a 15 per cent jump since 2011. In Australia, recently, there are more than 43,000 children are in out-of-home care, a 15 percent jump since 2011. Thirty-five per cent of all children in care are Indigenous, but there is no national data about the cultural backgrounds of other children.
Data exists at a state level, though.
For example, 10 per cent in New South Wales and 13 per cent in Victoria are described as coming from non-English speaking backgrounds.
It is time when these children need a new home which should be cozy-er, safer temporarily, which might create a huge positive impact on their future and personality we could say.
It is also the time when we need foster care more than ever. Creating Link is a non-government agency based in NSW which specializes in seeking and connecting children in need with individuals or families who are suitable and ready to welcome and to nurture these out-of-home-care children in a certain time.
There are many reasons about why a child no longer with his/her parents. When they come to Department of Family and Community Service, officers will identify their cultural backgrounds, if they come from Vietnamese culture for instance, the officer will contact Creating Link to find out a suitable Vietnamese family in Australia who registered as foster carers, from which children will be sent to this Vietnamese family for a while as their new temporary home.
Children could stay with foster carers in couple of months, one or two years and so on. In case these children find nowhere to come back, Creating Links could arrange to help them stay with foster carers. If Foster carers consider adopting the child they are caring, Creating Link should be their trustful advisor for further steps.
How to become a foster carer?
Being a foster carer seems to be a complicated sector. Most of foster carers are volunteers who put love and responsibility above personal benefit. They may get a tax-free allowance, extra financial support if the child they are caring has more needs. They also might get an allowance from Centre Link if they are eligible.
Besides, there are obstacles a foster care must face somehow. For instance, the biological parents of the children they are fostering, in some ways or through personal contacts, could know about foster carers and put pressure on them.
Besides, it costs anyone who is interested in being a foster carer within 3 to 6 months to register as a legal foster carer. Firstly, you have to collect all essential information and then fill in an online application form at Creatling Link website. Next, you need to get the WWWC (available for applying online at the Children Guardians website). Together with application form, your profile will be examined and you will receive a call from Creating Link to join their 3-day-training session to become an official foster carer.
In minimize the risks in which the out-of-home-care child and foster carer cannot live in harmony after a short time, Creating Links has the hotline 24/7 to support all matters which might increase. Also, they have the bilingual team who could talk in Vietnamese if you find difficulties with English communication. Monthly visit, training before handling child for your own care, etc. are other services offered to equipped you at the best.
Becoming a foster care, as you can see, is a job asking your patience, open mind and endless love to children who is desperately in need a new home, especially a place where their values, mother language and living routine are remained.
With Vietnamese who is thinking of contributing for Vietnamese value saving in Australia, being a foster care could be a good option for your consideration so far.
