South Australians able to spare an afternoon, a weekend or even school holidays are being encouraged to open their hearts and homes to children and young people to provide them with the love, care and support they need to thrive.
Every year, thousands of nights of respite care are provided for children and young people in care and every week, emergency care arrangements are needed for children in difficult and challenging situations across the state.
Children come into contact with the child protection and family support system as a result of complex and sometimes heartbreaking situations.
South Australia currently has around 1020 foster care and 1820 kinship care households caring for a child or multiple children. While there has been a steady increase in approved carers opening their homes and lives in the most special way, more generous individuals are needed to help combat natural carer attrition rates.
Family-based care is often considered the best environment for children and young people, where there is an opportunity to build a sense of belonging and meaningful family connections.
Launching next week, a digital advertising campaign entitled 'Foster the Feeling' will encourage South Australians to consider caring and highlight that any time they can spare has the potential to change a child's life. The campaign concept seeks to capture the powerful moments in life that elicit feelings such as joy and happiness between a young person and their carer. While caring can change a child's life for the better, it's a heartwarming feeling often felt and shared by carers as well.
Caring roles can be flexible and accommodate a diverse range of lifestyles and circumstances.
For as little as a few hours in a morning, afternoon, weekend or even school holidays, a world of difference can be made in a young person's life by providing a nurturing, safe and supportive environment.
The appeal for more carers is being launched as part of a Foster and Kinship Carer Week event for South Australia's carers at the Adelaide Zoo, proudly supported by agencies that deliver carer services right across the state.
Prospective foster carers are generally aged between 25 and 70 and can be:
- Individuals (male or female)
- Couples (including same sex couples)
- People with their own children
- People who do not have children.
Adelaide Hills couple Andrea and Kristian began their caring journey about two years ago, offering emergency and short-term placements for babies and toddlers.
Andrea and Kristian were finalists in this month's Foster Carer of the Year category at the SA Child Protection and Family Support Awards. They said having adult children and running their own business had made fostering easier because they have the time and flexibility to meet children's needs.
They're now caring for a baby who came to them not long after birth, and the couple has previously cared for several other infants.
For more information about becoming a carer, visit www.fostercare.sa.gov.au or phone 1300 2 FOSTER (1300 2 367 837)
An animated version of the advertising campaign can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1pK5BWTjx-_q1_wq_BHQozvJEpDXGmcw2?usp=drive_link
As put by Minister for Child Protection Katrine Hildyard
Providing care, love and certainty for children facing some heartbreaking circumstances changes children's lives and changes carers' lives too with many saying it is the most rewarding thing they have ever done.
Inspirational stories such as Andrea's and Kristian's speak volumes and are testament to the transformative impact carers have.
Short term carers providing care to children in flexible ways for a few hours on a weekend, during school holidays or for a few months while long term care options are explored is so important. It can really make a difference to a child's sense of a circle of people being there for them and to those generous long-term carers who sometimes need a break. It helps children and carers know they are not alone.
I am so grateful to the carers who support children through their challenges, triumphs, and the everyday ups and downs. Emergency, respite and long term caring roles are both essential and deeply fulfilling.
I am so pleased we have seen an increase in approved carers opening their homes and lives in the most special way, but we need more of these huge-hearted people. If you have ever thought of caring for a child in any capacity, please get in contact. You will change a child's life and likely change yours too.
As put by Andrea and Kristian, Foster Carers
We decided to dip our toe in the water and see how it worked for us, and it's been amazing.
When our second placement came to us, we had 45 minutes' notice of her arriving.
She was seven months old and never had age-appropriate things, never held a toy and had never played on the floor. Her brother was five when they'd been removed, and he'd never been to a playground.
But you see how quickly giving them those opportunities turns their lives around, and it's just amazing.
I love how what I consider to be a little bit of nurture can get them to progress in leaps and bounds.
The kids really do become part of our whole family while they're here. Everyone at the office gets to know them and they have a whole village around them and that's really lovely.
As put by Jackie Bray DCP Chief Executive
We know the challenges and complexities carers face are inevitable, but their unwavering commitment to putting the livelihood and wellbeing of children first is extraordinary.
Any amount of time someone has to offer can change the trajectory of a child's life and be the most rewarding experience for a carer.
There are many ways to provide care that fit in with different and busy lifestyles. I'd encourage anyone who has thought about caring to reach out, ask some questions, find out if it's the right fit for you and know you will be supported throughout the process.
