support & assistance for foster carers
Foster care is a partnership between:
- the child or young person
- the child or young person’s family and friends
- the foster family
- the caseworker for the child
- key people in the child or young person’s life from education, health, religious or cultural organisations.
See the Partnership Agreement between DoCS and Foster Carers
financial support
See financial support information to help carers and other payments and reimbursements available for certain children and situations.
training and assessment
All Community Services foster carers receive training and assessment.
New and prospective carer training is called Shared Stories, Shared Lives. Along with an Aboriginal training package, it covers all essential aspects of foster care.
The training is designed to give you realistic information about foster caring, and help you understand how children’s life experiences affect their behaviour and their capacities.
ongoing support
Once you become a foster carer you are part of a team.
Your caseworker can help with support from psychologists, remedial teachers, respite care and other health services, depending on the child’s needs as identified in case planning.
Regional Foster Carer Advisory Groups operate in every region to help Community Services staff and carers work together to improve local foster care services.
support organisations
There are many foster care support groups around NSW. These group activities provide invaluable opportunities for carers to talk to one another, swap advice and build support networks with other foster parents in the area.
Connecting Carers NSW - support and training to foster, kinship and relative carers across NSW.
Ph: 1300 794 653
Foster Parents Support Network - support for foster carers in Sydney and regional areas.
Ph: 1800 262 445
Aboriginal Statewide Foster Carer Support Service - helps carers to provide quality, culturally appropriate care for kids.
Ph: 1800 888 698
