Australian Foster Carers Support Network
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About foster care
What to expect as a foster carer
Foster carers look after children who, for whatever reason, cannot live in their own home. As a foster carer you will be responsible for the day to day care of the children. This really means just caring for the child as you would your own child, Grand child etc.
You are not expected to attend court hearings and do not have to attend access visits although some agencies do advocate the foster carers
and the birth parents meeting each other if it is deemed beneficial and no security risks are identified. However you will not be made to attend
access visits if you are not comfortable in doing so. You only do what you are comfortable with and what works for your family.You are also able to change your mind if your circumstances change or if you no longer feel comfortable with the way things are currently running. Chatting to your foster child's case workers is always a good start as they will be able to help you with any issues.
Where do these children come from?
Contrary to popular belief, not all foster children have come from broken homes. In fact, not all children are removed from their parents, some children are placed into foster care voluntarily by their parents for a number of reasons.Why are children placed in foster care?
The reasons are varied. Some may include parental ilness, parents needing time to adjust to medication, parents with legal issues.Not all children in foster care have been abused or are 'broken'. The children may heve been witness to domestic violence but may not have been physically harmed themselves. Some times parents just cannot cope so need their children placed in foster care while they receive professional help to get back on track.
Of course, there are still children who are placed into foster care because they have been neglected or abused by their former care givers. This is a sad fact of life. Your role as a foster carer may well include looking after such children but remember, you will never be on your own. Each state and territory has teams of professionals who are able to assist you when needed.