Out of Home Care

every child deserves a home

Compassion, Integrity and Justice for all are the core values that underpin the Samaritans Foster Care Program. Some of the most vulnerable in our community are children and young people that can no longer live in their own family home. The aim of the Samaritans Foster Care program is to provide a safe and nurturing home for all children and young people in our care. The Program provides foster care to children and young people from birth to 17 years of age. There are a variety of types of fostering depending on the length of time that care is needed.

types of care & participants

The Samaritans Out of Home Care Program is designed to meet the needs of young people with challenging behaviours, who require accommodation and care.

There are three key participants in the program:• TheCommunityServices(CS):Responsibleforprovidingcasemanagementfortheyoungpersonincare.Casemanagementrelatestoday-to-dayplacementstrategiesinrelationtotheoverallCasePlan.TheCasePlansetsoutgoalsandobjectivesforthecareofthechildoryoungperson.

• Non-Governmentagency(Samaritans):Responsibleforrecruiting,assessing,trainingandsupportingcarers.

• Carers:Responsibleforprovidingtheday-to-daycareoftheyoungperson.

TheabovepartiesmayalsobeworkingwithotherGovernmentbodies(suchastheDepartmentofEducation)andnon-Governmentagenciesinmeetingtheyoungperson’sneeds.

Types of Foster CareRespitecareThisinvolvescareprovidedforregularshortstays(egoneweekendperfortnight).Itgivesfamiliesabreakandprovidesapositiveexperienceforthechild.

TemporarycareTemporarycareisshort-termrangingfromovernightuptotwelvemonthsandinsomecasescanbecomelong-term.Attheendoftemporarycare,thechildmayreturntotheirfamily.

LongtermcareThisiscareforchildrenwhocannotlivewiththeirfamiliesandneedafamilytogrowupinuntiltheirfamilycircumstanceschangeortheyturn18.

Fostercarerscanmakechoicesaboutthetypeofcaretheyprovideandtheageandgenderofchildrentheywishtocarefor.

every child deserves a home

Foster carers provide a loving, supportive and stable home for children and young people in their care. They nurture them, take responsibility for their daily needs and requirements, and help them to feel safe and secure in the foster care family.

Role of the Foster CarerFosterCarersprovidesafeboundariesforchildrenandyoungpeopletohelpencouragepositivebehaviour.Theyalsogivethemthechancetohavesomefunandbefreefromworry.

Allchildrencomeintocarewithstrongfamilyties.Maintainingcontactwithbirthparentsandextendedfamiliesisvitalforachild’semotionalandsocialwellbeinganddevelopment.FosterCarersplayanimportantroleinsupportingtheserelationships.Theyalsosupportachildoryoungperson’sculturalandreligiousbackgroundandbeliefs.

FosterCarersarealsoresponsibleforrespectingtheconfidentialityofthechildandtheirbirthfamiliesandforshowingthemunderstanding,respectandempathy.

FosterCarersareakeypartofourteam.Weinvolvetheminmakingdecisionsaboutthechildrenintheircareandworkcloselywiththemtodevelopacareplantobestsupportthechild.Majordecisionsremaintheresponsibilityofthepersondesignatedwiththelegal‘ParentalResponsibility’forthechildoryoungperson.Inmostcases,thislieswithCommunityServicesand,asdelegatedSamaritans.

role of foster carers & criteria

every child deserves a home

What are the criteria for being a carer?• Singles,families,couples(marriedordefacto)canbeconsideredaspotentialcarers.

• Theymustbeof25yearsandoverandhavespaceintheirhomeforachildoryoungperson.

• Fostercarersneedtobetolerant,patientandadaptable,withtheabilitytoacceptandinteractwithchildrenandyoungpeopleshowingthemgenuinerespect,affectionandkindness.

• Fostercarersmustbewillingtocompletespecifictraininganddevelopanunderstandingoftheexperiencesofchildrenandyoungpeoplepriortocomingintocare.

• Theyneedtobepreparedtoundergoapersonalassessmentprocessand,onceauthorisedasafostercarer,becommittedtoattendingongoingtrainingandworkcloselywithSamaritans.

Fertility(whereinfertilityisanissue)

Tobeeligibletodolongtermcare,anapplicantmusthave

finishedtheirinvolvementwithafertilityprogramforaperiod

ofnotlessthan12months.Applicantsmustdemonstratean

acceptanceoftheirinfertilityandanunderstandingoftheimpact

ofinfertilityuponeachofthemasanindividualandasafamily.

Health

Anapplicant’shealth(bothphysicalandmental)shallbe

suchastoensureheorsheisabletoundertakethetaskof

fostering.Forapplicantsforlong-termcare,thismayinvolve

raisingthechildtoadulthood.

ReligiousBeliefs

TheobjectsandprinciplesoftheActrequiretheprovision

ofservices,whicharefosterhealth,developmentalneeds,

spirituality,culturalidentity,self-respectanddignitywithinasafe

andnurturingenvironment.Allactionsanddecisionsmusttake

accountofculture,disability,language,religionandsexuality.

Name,identity,language,culturalandreligioustiesshouldbe

preservedasfaraspossible.

FinancialResources

Afostercareallowanceispaidtocarerstocovermostof

theadditionalcostsofcaringforafosterchild.Thecareris

responsibleformeetingtheday-to-dayneedsoftheyoung

person.Thisincludesfood,housing,clothing,footwear,minor

medical,dentalandopticalcosts,activities,schoolrequirements

andfees,pocketmoneyandpersonalcare.

Thisallowanceistax-freeanddoesnotaffectanyotherbenefit

orpaymentthecareralreadyreceives.Thepaymentisusually

depositedfortnightlydirectlyintothecarer’sbankaccount.

Othersignificantcostsassociatedwiththechildoryoung

person‘scaseplanwillbenegotiatedwithCommunityServices

inacaseconference.

role of foster carers & criteria

Accommodation

Applicantsshouldhaveadequate,safeaccommodationfora

child.Thisdoesnotmeanthatapplicantsshouldnecessarilyown

theirhome.Abedroommustbeavailableforafosterchild.

Residence

Applicantsmustliveinthefollowinggeographicareas,Hunter,

ManningandCentralCoastregions.

Birthfamilycontact

Applicantsmustdemonstrateanunderstandingoftheimportance

oftheorigins,cultureandpastexperienceofthechildoryoung

personintheircare.Applicantsmustdemonstrateanacceptance

oftheagency’scommitmenttoongoingcontactbetweenthe

childandhis/herbirthparentsandawillingnesstofacilitatesuch

contact.

CareofAboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderchildrenandyoungpeople

OuragencyhasacommitmenttoplacingAboriginalandTorres

StraitIslanderchildrenandyoungpeoplewithcarerswhoshare

theirculturalbackground.CarerswhoidentifyasbeingAboriginal

orTorresStraitIslanderareaskedtoprovideproofofthis(eg,a

letterfromaLandCouncil)anddetailsofthecommunitytowhich

theybelongiftheywishtoprovidefostercareforachildfromtheir

ownculturalbackground.

Disciplineofchildrenoryoungpeople

Carersareexpectedtoworkcloselywithagencystaffin

developingappropriatedisciplinestrategiesfortheparticularchild

oryoungpersonintheircare.Fostercarersarenotallowedtouse

anyphysicalforcetodisciplinefosterchildren.

Applicantsmustdemonstrateabilitytoeffectivelydiscipline

childrenwithouttheuseofphysicalpunishments.Itisvery

importantthatfosterchildrenaredisciplinedinawaythatsends

astrongmessagetothemthattheyarecaredforinspiteoftheir

behaviour.Experiencehasshownthathittingorotherphysical

punishmentisnoteffectiveindealingwiththesechildren.

Childrenincare,becausetheyhaveexperiencedabuseinthe

past,usuallyhavenotexperiencedconsistentcaringparenting.

Healthandhygienestandards

Carersareexpectedtoconformtoguidelinesdesignedtoensure

thatchildrenarebeingcaredforinahealthyenvironment.Such

guidelinesincludepracticingofuniversalinfectioncontroland

ensuringthatresponsiblemeasuresaretakenregardingsmoking

withinthehome.

Applicationtootheragencies

Applicantsmustadviseofpreviousapplicationstobecomea

carerwithotheragenciesinAustraliaandoverseasandthe

outcomesofthoseapplications.Applicantswillbeaskedfor

permissionforthisagencytocontactotherstowhomyouhave

previouslyapplied.

every child deserves a home

How Do I Become A Foster Carer?Becomingacarerinvolvesanumberofsteps.

STEP1:Youhavetakenthefirststepinmakingyourenquiry.Wewouldlikeyoutoreadthispackcarefully.Ifyouarestillinterestedinapplyingtobeacarer,sendustheRegistrationofInterestform.

STEP2:Whenyoudothatwewillarrangeaninitial‘InformationExchangeSession’inyourhomeoryoucanattendan‘InformationEvening’;thisgivesyoutheopportunitytomeetwithworkersfromouragencyandtohaveansweredanyquestionsyoumighthave.

STEP3:Afterthissessionyoucandecidewhetheryouwishtocontinuetheprocessofbecomingacarerbycompletingadetailedapplicationformandagreeingtoparticipateinatrainingprogramandseriesofassessmentinterviews.

STEP4:Theassessmentinterviewsarenotsomethingyoupassorfail.Weworkwithyoutodiscovertogetherwhetherfosteringisasuitableoptionforyouatthistime.Thisincludesacriminalrecordcheck,WorkingWithChildrenCheck,areferencecheck,ahealthcheckfromyourdoctorandahousingsafetycheck.

STEP5:Onceyouhavebeenapprovedasacarer,youwillbeapproachedwhenachildoryoungpersonismatchedwiththetypeofcareyoucanprovide.Youwillhavetheopportunitytodiscussanyissuesthatmayberaisedforyouandyourhouseholdifyouacceptedtheplacementofthatchildoryoungperson.Sometimesitispossibleforyoutomeetthechildoryoungpersonbeforeyoumakethedecisionabouttakingthatplacement.

What Support Do Foster Carers Receive?Fostercarersarevaluedmembersofourteamandaregivenongoingsupportandtrainingwhentheyarecaringforachild.

SupportFostercarersreceiveregularvisitsfromtheircasemanagerforone-on-onesupport.Ourcasemanagersaimtodevelopstrongandtrustingrelationshipswithfostercarersandworktogethertoprovidethebestpossiblecare.

Fostercarershaveaccesstosupportandadvice24hoursaday,7daysaweekfromanon-callworker.Regularcarereventsareavailabletohelpthemdevelopnetworksandfriendshipswithotherfostercarers.

TrainingOngoingtrainingisavailableforallourfostercarerswhowanttodeveloptheirskillscaringforchildreninfostercare.Trainingsessionsalsoprovidefostercarerswithanopportunitytocometogetherandshareexperiences.Acarernewsletterupdatescarersonwhatiscomingupandavailableresourcesandtraining.

FosterCarePaymentFostercarersreceiveafortnightlyallowancetoreimbursetheday-to-daycostsincurredwhencaringforachildoryoungperson.Theallowanceisbasedontheageandneedsofthechildandistax-free.Thepaymentsdonotaffectanyothergovernmentallowancesthatthecarermayalreadyreceive.LongtermfostercarersmayalsobeeligibleforFamilyTaxBenefitsthroughCentrelink.

steps in becoming a foster carer &support networks

every child deserves a home

our commitment to youWe are committed to putting you and the child or young person in your care at the centre of our service.

We are committed to not only providing you with a single point of contact as you care but we also offer ongoing and coordinated support services that empower you and the child or young person to succeed.

We are committed to ensuring that children and young people are safe, healthy, learning and have a sense of belonging.

We are committed to ensuring that our foster carers know that they are valued and respected members of our care team and feel supported in the work they are doing.

We are committed to being on the foster care journey with you.

samaritans out of home care’s commitment to you

every child deserves a home

Registration of interest in foster care

I have read the “Information Pack for Potential Foster Carers” and would like to be contacted by a worker from your agency to arrange an Information Exchange Session and training.

every child deserves a home

Name Date of Birth Male/Female Relationship to you

2. Please complete for all members of your household (include all people who regularly stay overnight)

3.What language(s) do you speak at home?

4. Are you of Aboriginal background? (mark one) Yes No

5. Are you of Torres Strait Islander background? (mark one) Yes No

6. Have you previously applied to any other agencies to foster? (mark one) Yes No

If yes, please provide details and the result of the application

10. What type of care are you interested in applying for? (mark any you are interested in)

respite care temporary care long term care

1.

Name Surname:

Address:

Suburb: Postcode:

Home Phone: Mob: Work:

Email:

PLEASE RETURN TO:Samaritans OOHC PO BOX 1006 Georgetown NSW 2298 or39/54 Clyde St Hamilton North NSW 2303

further informationContactSamaritansOOHC

P:0240149306F:0240149361

E:oohc@samaritans.org.auW:www.samaritans.org.au

POBOX1006GeorgetownNSW2298or

39/54ClydeStHamiltonNorthNSW2303