Comments on: Why be a foster carer? http://www.imaginif.com.au/why-be-a-foster-carer/ Peer supervision and job recommendation for the human services Sat, 13 Mar 2010 21:19:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Donna Mahoney http://www.imaginif.com.au/why-be-a-foster-carer/comment-page-1/#comment-3626 Donna Mahoney Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:40:17 +0000 http://www.imaginif.com.au/?p=1815#comment-3626 Foster carers are walking angels Foster carers are walking angels

]]> By: Rowena Hammond http://www.imaginif.com.au/why-be-a-foster-carer/comment-page-1/#comment-3625 Rowena Hammond Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:34:38 +0000 http://www.imaginif.com.au/?p=1815#comment-3625 I have 4 kids of my own and have thorough insight into the SA child protection system. The decision for my husband and I to take on more children that may come with challenging behaviours is not something that we are taking lightly, we want to make sure that we are ready and able to welcome more young people into our lives potentially until they are 18 years old. We know how devastating it can be for a child that has come from an unstable or unsafe background to be placed somewhere and then have the placement break down. The process may be slow and comprehensive but it is better to ensure that the carers are ready otherwise it may breakdown before it even starts. For us this even includes making sure that our housing situation is suitable. At the moment we have a piddly 3 bedroom house that only just fits the 6 of us. I have 4 kids of my own and have thorough insight into the SA child protection system. The decision for my husband and I to take on more children that may come with challenging behaviours is not something that we are taking lightly, we want to make sure that we are ready and able to welcome more young people into our lives potentially until they are 18 years old. We know how devastating it can be for a child that has come from an unstable or unsafe background to be placed somewhere and then have the placement break down. The process may be slow and comprehensive but it is better to ensure that the carers are ready otherwise it may breakdown before it even starts. For us this even includes making sure that our housing situation is suitable. At the moment we have a piddly 3 bedroom house that only just fits the 6 of us.

]]> By: Tanya Brooks-Cooper http://www.imaginif.com.au/why-be-a-foster-carer/comment-page-1/#comment-3624 Tanya Brooks-Cooper Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:32:31 +0000 http://www.imaginif.com.au/?p=1815#comment-3624 A few comments: 1. Make the process user friendly - foster carers aren't signing up for the cash they are signing up to make a difference 2. Be real in your recruitment - foster caring is tough and sometimes very stressful 3. Make as many appointments easy to access as you can - it costs FAR more dollars to foster than you get paid, and taking time off work to be at endless meetings jeopardises your ability to foster and maintain the balance you want to be financially secure 4. Say thank you and allow foster carers to thank you back!! 5. Recognise and explain what is going on - the process is steals power from everyone involved and that is hard to sustain 6. Keep the support rolling - create foster carer support networks that work, keep information flowing, keep the process friendly and use the internet/emails and time poor friendly options - it just can't be all about face to face in this busy world 7. PAY UP ON TIME! Be accessible! 8. Continuing the pay up on time part - be aware the foster caring is just part of the lives of carers - your house is open to a host of strangers who you feel like are watching your every move, so be considerate, caring and open about what is going on. If there are payments to be made, do them quickly!! No mucking around passing the buck. Be fair. 9. Be understanding - the foster caring applicaiton process is emotional - the agency NEEDS to be timely in processing applications and flexible in how they come in. I wanted mine to do on the computer not in handwriting, that was complicated! I've met so many people who are on hold just waiting to be approved, be told what is happening, or to trained so they can kick off. What a waste!!! Time is of the essence! People are keen, and since this appoval feels so personal, this process rejects them and their good intentions. Why??!! Lol - glad you asked?!! Txxxxx A few comments:

1. Make the process user friendly – foster carers aren’t signing up for the cash they are signing up to make a difference

2. Be real in your recruitment – foster caring is tough and sometimes very stressful

3. Make as many appointments easy to access as you can – it costs FAR more dollars to foster than you get paid, and taking time off work to be at endless meetings jeopardises your ability to foster and maintain the balance you want to be financially secure

4. Say thank you and allow foster carers to thank you back!!

5. Recognise and explain what is going on – the process is steals power from everyone involved and that is hard to sustain

6. Keep the support rolling – create foster carer support networks that work, keep information flowing, keep the process friendly and use the internet/emails and time poor friendly options – it just can’t be all about face to face in this busy world

7. PAY UP ON TIME! Be accessible!

8. Continuing the pay up on time part – be aware the foster caring is just part of the lives of carers – your house is open to a host of strangers who you feel like are watching your every move, so be considerate, caring and open about what is going on. If there are payments to be made, do them quickly!! No mucking around passing the buck. Be fair.

9. Be understanding – the foster caring applicaiton process is emotional – the agency NEEDS to be timely in processing applications and flexible in how they come in. I wanted mine to do on the computer not in handwriting, that was complicated!

I’ve met so many people who are on hold just waiting to be approved, be told what is happening, or to trained so they can kick off. What a waste!!! Time is of the essence! People are keen, and since this appoval feels so personal, this process rejects them and their good intentions. Why??!!

Lol – glad you asked?!! Txxxxx

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