We all share the responsibility for child safety

With Life Without Barriers

BE A FOSTER CARER

“ Life Without Barriers recognises the importance of Foster Carers and staff working in partnership to promote best practice ”

CONTENTSCONTENTS

Contents 2

Chief Executive Message 2

About Life Without Barriers 3

What Is Foster Care? 4

Qué es el cuidado de Acogida? [Spanish] 5

什么是寄养？ [Simplified Chinese] 5

फोस्टर केयर कयया होती ह?ै [Hindi] 5

Τι Είναι Η Ανάδοχη Φροντίδα; [Greek] 5

[Arabic] 5 ما هي الرعاية المؤقتة ”فوستر كير“؟

Foster Care With LWB 6

Support For Foster Carers 8

Support For Children And Young People 11

Frequently Asked Questions 12

Where To From Here? 14

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CHIEF EXECUTIVE MESSAGE

I would like to welcome you to the first step in becoming a Foster Carer with Life Without Barriers. Foster Carers are the life blood of our organisation. Our experience in working with our Foster Carers, giving them a real say and listening to their feedback has ensured we have a valuable care team to make a positive difference in the lives of children and young people across Australia.We welcome people with qualities and values that mirror those of Life Without Barriers. Our Foster Carers place relationships first, are imaginative in their thinking, courageous, respectful and highly responsive to the needs of those in their care.

Our Foster Carers reflect the diversity of the wider community and provide safe, stable and nurturing home environments. Covering all key aspects of caring with Life Without Barriers and addressing many of the questions that arise, the information within this booklet will assist you in understanding the essential role and responsibilities of Foster Carers within Life Without Barriers and the range of opportunities for you to be involved in changing lives for the better.

I encourage you to carefully read the information and I trust you find it informative, encouraging and helpful in making the decision that’s right for you.

I look forward to welcoming you to the Life Without Barriers community.

Yours,

Claire Robbs Chief Executive

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ABOUT LIFE WITHOUT BARRIERS

We are a not-for-profit organisation working in more than 300 communities across Australia. Our services currently support just over 11,500 people living in their own homes or in residential houses that we manage.We deliver services in the areas of disability, out-of-home care (including foster care), aged care, mental health and support for refugee and asylum seekers. We also provide services to homeless people and to youth involved with the justice system.

LWB has grown from humble beginnings into one of the most significant not-for-profit organisations in Australia, providing care services to communities across the country.

OUR VALUES For us relationships come first. It’s more than just working together, it is understanding one another, making lasting connections and building trust. We help clients to believe in themselves again.

We are courageous and we stand up for what we believe in. We are people with strong opinions on what’s right for our clients and communities in which we operate. We speak up on behalf of our clients and encourage them to have the confidence to speak up for themselves.

We respond appropriately and promptly to individual and community needs and we are not afraid to get engaged and ‘get our hands dirty’ in order to find a solution.

We also know the importance of imagination and what works but we are always open to new ways of doing things - from our clients and from team members. And we do so openly and willingly.

We are respectful of others’ viewpoints and try to see the world from the perspective of others.

WE PUT CHILDREN FIRSTAt Life Without Barriers we all share the responsibility for child safety. Every day, Life Without Barriers offers support and care to children. We all have a responsibility to make sure their safety comes first – and that they’re well cared for, protected from abuse, and given the respect they deserve.

RECONCILIATION We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the original custodians of the land and strongly believe in recognising, respecting and advancing the inherent rights, cultures and traditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities. We acknowledge the importance of family, and cultural and community ties for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Our commitment to raising awareness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples by hearing their voices and recognising their achievements and shared histories in our communities is ongoing, as we work towards making sure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have access to the same opportunities as all Australians.

We believe that reconciliation must live in the hearts and minds of all Australians.

WE BUILD RELATIONSHIPS

WE ARE IMAGINATIVE

WE ARE RESPECTFUL

WE ARE RESPONSIVE

WE ARE COURAGEOUS

WHAT IS FOSTER CARE?

Foster Care is needed when children in our community, aged 0-18 years, are unable to live with their own family and need another family or person to live with and care for them. These people are known as Foster Carers. Life Without Barriers works with Foster Carers to provide a safe and stable home life to children in care on a short or long-term basis. Foster Carers work in partnership with caseworkers, specialised support staff, the child or young person and where possible, the child’s family.

WHAT IS FOSTER CARE?

Foster Care is needed when children in our community, aged 0-18 years, are unable to live with their own family and need another family or person to live with and care for them. These people are known as Foster Carers. Life Without Barriers works with Foster Carers to provide a safe and stable home life to children in care on a short or long-term basis. Foster Carers work in partnership with caseworkers, specialised support staff, the child or young person and where possible, the child’s family.

¿QUÉ ES EL CUIDADO DE ACOGIDA?El Cuidado de acogida es necesario cuando los niños en nuestra comunidad de 0 a 18 años no pueden vivir con su propia familia y necesitan vivir con otra familia o persona que pueda cuidar de ellos. Estas personas se llaman “cuidadores de acogida”.

Life Without Barriers trabaja con cuidadores de acogida para proporcionar una vida familiar estable y segura a niños que se encuentran en una situación de acogida de corta o larga duración. Los cuidadores de acogida colaboran con los trabajadores sociales, personal especializado de apoyo, el niño o el adolescente en cuestión y, siempre que sea posible, la familia del niño.

什么是寄养？

当我们社区中0-18岁的儿童不能与他们自己的家人住在一起而需要与另外一个家庭或人住在一起并受到照顾时，这些儿童就需要寄养。这些人被称为寄养照顾者。

Life Without Barriers与寄养照顾者共同合作，为处于短期或长期寄养的儿童提供安全和稳定的家庭生活。寄养照顾者与个案工作者、专业的协助者、被寄养的儿童或青少年一起合作，而且，如果有可能的话，他们也与被寄养的儿童的家人一起合作。

फोस्टर केयर कयया होती ह?ैफोस्टर केयर क ी ज़रूरत तब पड़त ी ह ैजब हमयारे समुदयाय में रहने वयाले 0-18 सयाल के बचे् अपने सवयं के पर रवयार के सयाथ रहने में असक्षम होते हैं और उनके सयाथ रहने और उनक ी देखभयाल करने के ल लए उनहें क कस ी अनय पर रवयार यया व्यल ति क ी ज़रूरत होत ी ह।ै इन लोगों को फोस्टर केयरस्स कहते हैं।Life without Barriers में रहने वयाले बच्ों को छो्टी यया लमबी अवलि के ललए सुरलक्षत और लसथर घर उपलबि करयाने के ललए फोस्टर केयरस्स के सयाथ कयाम करती ह।ै फोस्टर केयरस्स केसवक्स स्स, लवशेषज्ञ सहयायतया कम्सचयाररयों, बच्े/बच्ी यया ककशोर और जहयाँ संभव हो बच्े/बच्ी के पररवयार के सयाथ सहभयालगतया में कयाम करते हैं।

ΤΙ ΕΙΝΑΙ Η ΑΝΑΔΟΧΗ ΦΡΟΝΤΙΔΑ; Η Ανάδοχη Φροντίδα απαιτείται όταν παιδιά στην κοινότητά μας, ηλικίας 0-18 ετών, δεν είναι σε θέση να ζουν με την οικογένειά τους και χρειάζονται μια άλλη οικογένεια ή άλλο άτομο να ζήσουν μαζί τους και να τα φροντίζουν. Τα άτομα αυτά είναι γνωστά ως Ανάδοχοι Φροντιστές.

Η Life Without Barriers συνεργάζεται με Ανάδοχους Φροντιστές να παρέχουν μια ασφαλή και σταθερή οικογενειακή ζωή για τα παιδιά που βρίσκονται σε βραχυπρόθεσμη ή μακροπρόθεσμη φροντίδα. Οι Ανάδοχοι Φροντιστές συνεργάζονται με λειτουργούς υποθέσεων, εξειδικευμένο προσωπικό στήριξης, το παιδί ή το νεαρό άτομο και όπου είναι δυνατόν, με την οικογένεια του παιδιού.

ما هي الرعاية المؤقتة ”فوستر كير“؟

هناك حاجة إلى الرعاية المؤقتة عندما يكون األطفال في مجتمعنا، الذين تتراوح أعمارهم بين 0 - 18عاماً،

غير قادرين على العيش مع عائلتهم ويحتاجون إلى عائلة أخرى أو شخص للعيش معه ورعايتهم. يُعرف

هؤالء الناس بالرعاة المؤقتين.

تعمل Life Without Barriersمع الرعاة المؤقتين لتوفير حياة منزلية آمنة ومستقرة

لألطفال في الرعاية على أساس قصير أو طويل األجل. ويعمل الرعاة المؤقتون في شراكة مع

العاملين اإلجتماعيين وفريق الدعم المتخصص، والطفل/الطفلة أو الشاب/الشابة، وحيثما أمكن،

أسرة الطفل

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FOSTER CARE WITH LWB

Our foster care services deliver meaningful outcomes for children, young people and families, with an emphasis on building safe, stable and nurturing relationships.Our Foster Carers bring a wealth of experience to their role and are recognised as an essential part of our team. At Life Without Barriers we are committed to best practice and delivering positive outcomes for children and young people.

WHO CAN BE A FOSTER CARER?

Our Foster Carers:

are from any cultural background

are over 18, with relevant life experience (some states require foster carers to be over 25 years). Upper age limits may apply for some types of care.

are single; defacto, married or same sex couples; with or without children

have a spare room in their home or apartment –are renters or owners

are well and healthy and have the emotional capacity to deal with the challenges of foster caring

are active and willing participants in fostering vulnerable children – this extends to all people in the household

What we ask of Foster Carers:

You are ready to welcome a child into your family

You are keen to continue learning and developing new skills

You have a regular source of income to meet your own family’s needs

You are able to focus on meeting the needs of children in your care including their educational and health needs as well as other activities and interests such as sport or music

You have a willingness to support the child to develop a sense of identity which includes their culture, family, language and religion, where appropriate.

You have a commitment to work with a child’s family, the Government Department and the LWB Care Team towards better outcomes for the child

You accept regular visits from our professional staff which includes at all stages of the recruitment, assessment and placement processes

You are open to discussion and assessment of your suitability to be a Foster Carer and successfully meet probity and screening requirements

CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE Our role is to work together to support each child or young person’s individual needs, and provide them with a safe and secure environment from which they can achieve their full potential.

Children in care have families that love them. No matter what has happened in the past most children want and need to maintain connections and have relationships with their families. Children feel comforted seeing that all important adults are able to work in respectful partnership to make sure the child has all they need, and can steer them towards a positive future.

Children in foster care may be frightened and are always vulnerable. They need compassionate and resilient adults in their lives to show them that they are important and valuable. Children may present with an increased need for support and recognition. It can take a long time for a child to trust an adult if they are in care and it can also be a challenge for them to form relationships with others.

Life Without Barriers supports and complies with the Aboriginal Placement Principle and aims to enhance and preserve Aboriginal children’s connection to family and community and sense of identity and culture.

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FOSTER CARE WITH LWB

ABORIGINAL & TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER FOSTER CARERS To ensure children maintain connections with their family and community, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander children and young people need Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Foster Carers.

As an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Foster Carer, you can be supported through all aspects of your application, assessment and placements by professional staff with appropriate cultural knowledge and an understanding of culturally appropriate community engagement protocols.

CARER ASSESSMENT & TRAININGAll Life Without Barriers Foster Carers undertake a full carer assessment and training. This assessment process will include all members of the household. As part of this process, you will be asked to participate in and agree to the following:

Criminal Record Check

Working with Children Check

Assessment/screening interviews

Preparation training

Personal reference checks

Housing Safety Check

Health/Medical Check

Carer Code of Conduct

Confidentiality Agreement

You are able to withdraw from the assessment process at any time. Annual reviews are also conducted which provide an opportunity to evaluate your learning and development needs so we can understand how we can support you better.

CONTACT LWB

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COMPLETE APPLICATION

YOUR PERSONAL ASSESSMENT

APPROVAL

INFORMATION SESSION IN A

GROUP OR AT HOME

BACKGROUND CHECK

TRAINING

YOU ARE NOW A FOSTER CARER

THE PROCESS TO BECOMING A FOSTER CARER

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SUPPORT FOR FOSTER CARERS

24/7 SUPPORT

CARE TEAM

CLINICALSUPPORT

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

CONSULTATION(REGION AND NATIONAL)

CARER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT

ISLANDER SUPPORT

LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT

SOCIAL / EVENTS

COMMUNICATION

RESPITE(WHERE APPLICABLE)

CORPORATE HEALTH PLAN

Life Without Barriers has the following initiatives to support, learn from and engage our Foster Carers.

24/7 SUPPORTA support person will be available to speak with you 24/7 and guide you through any challenges that you may face and we will come out to support you if times of crisis occur.

CARE TEAMThe Care Team provides the wrap around support that helps a child succeed in life. The Care Team may be made up of a: the child or young person, the child’s parent(s) or family members, Primary and Respite Carers, Case Manager or Care Coordinator, Carer Support Role, Management, Clinicians and other Professionals.

CLINICAL SUPPORTIn situations where you need further supports, a clinician may be involved. This person may be a Psychologist, Nursing specialist, Physio, OT, Speech Therapist and so forth. Our Clinicians work with the Care Team to develop Behaviour Management Plans and Interventions, as well as training and development of yourself and the Care Team.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE You will receive financial support to meet the costs of caring. The Foster Carer allowance varies depending on the State or Territory you reside, the needs level of the child and the number of children in the family group. This allowance is non-taxable and is not considered income. The allowance is for care related costs such as food, clothing, outings, pocket money, school fees and general housing costs.

FOSTER CARER CONSULTATIONWe have a tiered system of forums that you can participate in. The purpose of these forums is to understand our Foster Carer’s views on service development, piloting of projects and to represent the Foster Carers views to the leadership of the organisation. The group meets every few months to work through issues pertinent to their region and broader concepts relevant to the whole of LWB.

Our National Carer Consultation Group (NCCG) has been in operation since 2008, and meets regularly with Senior Management, Executives and Board Members of Life Without Barriers. The NCCG consists of 10-12 Foster Carers from across LWB, with representation from regional areas in which we provide foster care services.

CARER ASSISTANCE PROGRAMThe Carer Assistance Program provides you with access to counselling services to assist with personal or life issues that may arise from time to time such as relationships, depression, stress, financial concerns and family issues. Services are provided independently of LWB, in complete confidence and at no cost to yourself.

SUPPORT FOR ABORIGINAL & TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER FOSTER CARERS Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Foster Carers can be supported through all aspects of their application, assessment and placements by professional staff with appropriate cultural knowledge and an understanding of community engagement protocols.

LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT The L&D programs are to equip you with the knowledge necessary to meet the needs of the children and young people in your care. There are a range of compulsory and elective modules, allowing you to develop the fundamentals and then specialise as you gain more experience. Life Without Barriers is also a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) offering you access to accredited training.

SOCIAL & EVENTS We hold regional events relatively frequently. You are also invited to National events such as Harmony Day, NAIDOC week celebrations and Foster Carer Conferences.

COMMUNICATIONYou will receive regular newsletters and communication from your regional team and our national team. We encourage you to talk to other Foster Carers at events or through local carer networks to find out more about fostering from the people in the know.

RESPITE Our respite services are designed to meet the needs of children and young people in care while giving Foster Carers or families planned, short-term breaks in order to support and maintain the primary care-giving relationship. Respite is arranged and negotiated on a case by case basis and is often related to the child’s needs. Our services provide for a range of flexible respite alternatives including in-home, centre-based, host family, supported holidays and community options.

CORPORATE HEALTH PLANLife Without Barriers has a corporate health plan with NIB, providing you with the opportunity to save on private health insurance.

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT Foster Carers of children with complex support needs may be assigned a person to support them in their role as a Carer. This person will provide regular debriefing and discuss any issues that may arise and ensure we are all meeting our responsibilities within the care team.

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SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE

Life Without Barriers provides a range of programs and support services to meet the individual needs of children and young people. Your local LWB team can provide more information on programs available in your area.

RELATIONSHIPS WITH FAMILY We believe families are important. Most children have contact with their parent or parents and/or siblings where it is a positive experience and promotes meaningful ongoing relationships within the family. The best outcome for children in foster care is for there to be a positive relationship between Foster Carers and the child’s family. Children and young people can see that all the important adults in their lives are working together to ensure their future is bright and full of enduring attachments.

Some children meet with their family frequently – especially when they are working towards going home (reunification /restoration). Of course, the child or young person’s interest and safety is our primary consideration and each situation is assessed individually.

CASE MANAGEMENTCase management is the coordination of support for each child or young person in foster care. It involves the identification of strengths as well as the needs of the child or young person, organizing case meetings, and preparing and monitoring case plans. LWB is committed to placing children and young people at the centre of the case management process. Our Case Management responsibilities vary in each State or Territory.

EDUCATIONLife Without Barriers has established partnerships with education providers to improve links between the education and foster care systems. This encompasses the provision of education specific support to children and young people in care by staff members with the relevant educational experience and qualifications.

CLINICAL SERVICESClinical services assist and support children and young people in a number of key areas including issues of attachment and trauma, health care and developmental assessments, positive behaviour support and language development.

CULTURAL SUPPORT PLANNINGLife Without Barriers supports and adheres to the Aboriginal Placement Principle. Depending on the situation and State or Territory, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children may have a Cultural Support Plan which includes connection to family, community, country and culture.

The central focus of all Cultural Support Plans is the reunification of children with their families and community, whilst at the same time ensuring that all children have knowledge about their heritage and family background. Cultural support plans provide direction and assistance to the care team to ensure Life Without Barriers’ services are provided within a cultural respect framework.

TRANSITION SUPPORTTransition support services assist young people who are leaving care to form safe, stable, nurturing relationships within their community, develop their self-reliance, access relevant community services and transition to other care environments if necessary.

EMPLOYMENT SERVICESWe are committed to working with young people to increase their access to, and presence in, the workforce and have programs to achieve this in key areas around the country.

DISABILITY SUPPORTOur disability services focus on the individual, empowering people to realise their full potential. We assist children and young people to develop skills and abilities, enhance decision making and choice, and involve them in the design and review of their services.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

This section has been designed to answer some questions you may have on what it means to be a Foster Carer.

WE WELCOME DIVERSITYWe work with clients from diverse cultural and social backgrounds and lifestyles. We seek to employ and engage people who reflect the diversity of our clients to ensure we can support each client’s individual needs and wants. We encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, the LGBTQI community, people from non-English speaking backgrounds and people with disability to apply. What is important to us is that you are able to provide a stable, loving home to children and young people.

WHAT IS LWB’S POLICY ON ADOPTION?We will work closely with you if you wish to consider adopting. Adoption from foster care is only approved when the child’s parents consent and the child is able to have a relationship with them. Adoption is not usually considered suitable for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

CAN I HAVE MY OWN CHILDREN AND FOSTER CARE CHILDREN?Your family situation is considered when making decisions about the age and needs of children you may foster. We have a general guide of placing children in your care who are younger than your youngest child. This allows you to focus on each child and address their individual needs.

We must also consider if there is enough space in your home to provide security and privacy to all children. In most circumstances, children in foster care will need to have their own bedroom (they may share with their own siblings if this is appropriate).

IS THERE AN AGE RESTRICTION ON CARERS?Life Without Barriers’ Foster Carers are over the age of 18 years. It is expected that if you are providing long-term care for a child you will be able to continue to care for the child until they are able to live independently. You will also need to have enough life experience to assist children and young people with their social, physical and emotional development.

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CAN I WORK FULL TIME OR PART TIME? The type of placement you may be approved for will take into consideration your availability. For example, if you worked full time it would be unlikely that you would be approved to provide care for a newborn withdrawing from in-utero drug exposure, who requires round-the-clock care. It is important children aged 0-5 years old have considerable one-to-one time with caregivers to establish trust and positive attachments.

You are also asked to participate in ongoing education. We are moving towards more flexible training: on-line, correspondence, completed in your home with the case worker or support worker, but some training may need to be completed face to face. There will be times that you will need to attend meetings during the weekday and like any other parent, if the child is sick or off school for other reasons, someone will need to be home with them.

I AM SINGLE, CAN I FOSTER? About 50% of our Foster Carers are single. The decision about your capacity to foster is based on your skills, availability, support networks and a range of other factors. We want to make sure you have the resources to provide great quality care to children. Families come in all shapes and sizes, as do our Foster Families.

DO FOSTER CARERS HAVE TO COMPLETE REPORTS? Communication regarding a placement occurs through a combination of regular visits by a case worker where ongoing information is gathered (usually in your home) as well as information provided by yourself on the child’s development and stability. At times you may be required to provide information to Life Without Barriers, in writing, regarding children in your care.

DO I HAVE TO OWN MY HOME TO BE A FOSTER CARER? No, however you do need to demonstrate that your premises are safe and suitable to foster. This means you can be renting, in public housing, paying off your home or own your home. You can live in an apartment or house. If you rent or are in public housing, it would be your responsibility to verify or seek approval to have extra people in your home.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO BECOME A FOSTER CARER? We want to make sure that we have explored all avenues with someone before they are approved as a Foster Carer – this can take some time.

Our goal is that assessments are completed within 4 months. There are times when delays occur but we will always let you know where things are up to and if we expect delays. Feel free to ring and ask about progress anytime.

WHERE TO FROM HERE?If you are interested in becoming a Life Without Barriers Foster Carer, or want to learn more about fostering, you can contact us directly through:

www.fostercare.lwb.org.au

carers@lwb.org.au

1300 592 227

You can also attend one of our Community Information Sessions or we can arrange to come and speak with you personally.

http://www.fostercare.lwb.org.aumailto:carers@lwb.org.au

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