Hello!

Welcome to the Spring edition of the Fostering Hope newsletter. September was a busy month for us with National Child Protection Week, Foster Carer’s Week, and Stand Sunday. We were so encouraged by all the churches around Australia that hosted Stand Sunday events. Many prayers and conversations were had about the needs for new carers, the current needs of existing carers, and about how best to meet the needs of the vulnerable children in our communities.

In mid-September, Fostering Hope hosted the first of three respite carer information nights in Tasmania and was overwhelmed to have over sixty people turn up to hear more about being a respite carer! Let’s see if Launceston and the Northwest coast can bring even more people! The Department of Communities has said they need sixty new carers by the end of the financial year - let’s see if we can fill this need!

Feature Article - Is it enough?

As we do our work of raising awareness of the needs of vulnerable young people and trying to find enough homes for them and support those doing the caring, we constantly ask ourselves: Is it enough? Is this enough to change the trajectory of a child’s life? Is it enough to recruit carers who can offer healing and hope to birth families? What will actually transform the lives of these children and young people?

We need to dream big for them, not just for their next six months, or the next year, but for their entire their lives! We need to dream about them ‘finishing well’, completing high school, entering a trade or further study, living independently, having positive connections to their foster and birth family, having a good job, and most importantly having hope and joy in their lives. If we constantly only think about each six-month period or the next court date, we giving ourselves or them the space to dream big for their future. 

To do this, we need, 

• Enough foster and kinship families for every child to have an ideal placement
• Enough foster and kinship families who can take sibling groups
• Wrap-around support from the church for foster, kinship and biological families 
• Children in care to have a mentor or other significant adults believing in them and showing them a different path
• Biological families with more focused support to make the necessary changes within a reasonable amount of time
• Social workers in child protection systems who are trained, supported, and encouraged to make decisions in the best interests of the child
• Schools that are trauma-informed, out-of-home care informed, and that provide communities of support for children in care and their carers.

Policy Changes and Updates

Leaving Care Age raised to 21 - Transition to Independence Program

The Tasmanian Government, along with other states and territories, is extending the leaving care age to 21. To support this, the Department of Communities Transition to Independence Program will assist young people and carers. The Program includes:

1. Carer Payments: Family-based carers who provide ongoing support for young people aged 18 to 21 years are eligible for carer payments. There is no longer a requirement to participate in education in order to receive this payment. Carers need to apply for this payment. If you haven’t already received an application form, email mary@fosteringhope.community
2. Additional After Care Regional Support Coordinators to provide advice and coordinate the delivery of services for young people. 

If you have any questions or feedback about this project please contact the After Care Support Team on, aftercaresupport@communities.tas.gov.au or  6166 0422  

Ticket to play for 2020

Ticket to Play is a Tasmanian Government initiative to reduce the cost of participating in sporting club activities for Tasmanian children. Tasmanian children aged 5-17 who are listed on a Centrelink Health Care or Pensioner Concession Card or who are in out of home care, are eligible for a voucher of up to $100 in value to be used towards the cost of club membership for an approved activity provider. 

To find approved providers and apply for a voucher for this calendar year, go to https://www.communities.tas.gov.au/ticket-to-play before 30 November 2019.

For more information or assistance please contact 1800 252 476 or tickettoplay@communities.tas.gov.au

Child Advocate for Young People in Residential Care

CatholicCare recently employed Geraldine Ellis-Maguire as a Child Advocate for children in residential care. This role will focus on advocating for young people in Therapeutic Residential Care. She will work with young people and their families to ensure the best interests of the young person stay front and centre. 

Youth Changemakers

The Tasmanian Child Advocate, Sonya Pringle-Jones and CREATE are partnering to introduce the Tasmanian Child Advocate’s Youth Change Makers. These positions will ensure that children and young people can shape the care system by directly inputting into projects, policy and practice within Child Safety Services. For more information look at this video and contact Bill on 0476 227 504 for more info and to apply.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPQiC4nVc-U

Events

Respite Carer Recruitment Drive

Think back to your childhood or teenage years… I am sure you can think of a grandparent, uncle, teacher, kids church leader, sports coach or music teacher who was pivotal in your life. It wasn’t your parents that you lived with, but another significant adult in your life. This is what respite carers are. Respite carers play an important role in each child’s life and for a fostering family. They can become extended family for a child and a place for a regular fun sleepover. They are a safe set of relationships that can lead to healing and healthy attachments. For a fostering family, respite carers become part of their team.

Do you know a child in care in your school or church community? Or are your own children friends with a child in care? Could you become their respite carer?

Respite care is for everyone. You can be single, retired, with or without kids! You just need to be willing to invest in a child’s life to become their respite carer – to be the Aunty, Uncle or grandparent figure! Read this story for more encouragement: https://hopeandhome.org/respite-foster-care-stories-gods-placement/  

Respite Carer Information Sessions

Come and find out what is involved in being a respite carer and begin the process!

Preparation for fostering course: Ready or Not

Are you thinking about entering the foster or kinship journey? Whether you are ready right now or it is something you want to do in the future, we encourage you to participate in a preparation for fostering devotional with us. It is great to connect with others in a similar position as you and hear from current carers. We are hosting a Ready or not devotional at the Grace Centre in Rokeby in Term 4. 

Starting on

Monday 28 October, 7:30pm for five weeks

Grace Centre, 11 Ralph Terrace, Rokeby TAS 7019

Upcoming training

Conflict Management for Carers – a Practical Guide for Christians

 Do you feel like as a carer you are in constant conflict and second-guessing yourself, your motivations, and if you are actually advocating for the child in your care? All carers enter this journey to make a difference in the life of a child and yet it is so much more complicated than simply caring for the child. We become members of care teams, enter journeys with birth families, and then constantly promote the health, emotional and mental needs of the children in our care. At each step it often feels like we are in conflict with other adults, yet ultimately, we are all probably advocating for what is best for the child, yet looking through different lens. 

Fostering Hope is excited to be offering this training by Ruth Pinkerton of Amity CMR to equip us with the tools for these hard conversations. This training is for foster and kinship carers and anyone else working in the Child Safety Services sector. 

Thursday 14 November

6:30-8:30pm

Wellspring Anglican Church, Corner Grosvenor and Lord St. Sandy Bay, TAS 7008

Cost: $20

https://www.amitycmr.com.au/

What training would you like? Would you like Fostering Hope to organise training, and if so, what topics are of particular interest to you?

What can I pray for?

• Pray for biological parents, that they would have the strength they need to face their circumstances and that they always keep the best interests of their children in mind. 

• Pray for the relationships between biological parents, foster/kinship carers, and the workers, that biological parents feel heard and that others are able to extend compassion. 

• Pray that churches in your community learn how to support biological families and how to equip them to prepare for reunification with their children.

Your questions answered about becoming a foster or kinship carer

In each newsletter we are going to answer a couple of questions people have when they think about foster and kinship care…please send through any questions you have too!

Resource and Information Showcase

If you'd like some extra information on new fostering resources we've found, have a look at https://www.fosteringhope.community/post/fostering-resources-oct2019

Resources include:

• Emerging Minds,
• Therapeutic parenting,
• trauma informed parenting books,
• Great books about being a foster carer, growing up in foster care,
• biblical view of foster care,
• Trust based relational intervention, and
• FREE Child Safe Training from the Australian Human Rights Commission.

Details in the link above.

Please get in touch!

• If you are interested in becoming a foster carer, supporting a foster carer, or supporting a child in care.
• If you have a story, question or feedback for future newsletters.