Frequently asked questions
1. Why are children placed in foster care?
2. How long do children stay in foster care?
3. Who can be a foster carer?
4. Do you need foster carers Australia-wide?
5. Do I need to have lots of space in my home to be able to foster a child?
6. Can I be a foster carer if my children still live at home?
7. Can I be a foster carer if I work?
8. Can I be a foster carer if I have a criminal record?
9. How do I become a Barnardos Australia foster carer?
10. Can I foster children of a specific age or gender?
11. How long will it take to become a foster carer?
12. Will I receive any training?
13. Do foster carers get paid?
14. What support will I receive from Barnardos Australia?
15. What if the child and I find it hard to get on with each other?
16. Can I adopt a child through Barnardos Australia?
1. Why are children placed in foster care?
Children are placed in foster care when their families are not able to care for them. This could be because of abuse, neglect, drug and alcohol problems, physical or mental illness, domestic violence, family breakdown or any other reason that means a parent is not able to care for their child.
2. How long do children stay in foster care?
The length of time spent in foster care depends upon the child’s individual circumstances. A child may only be in care for a few days during a family emergency or over a number of weeks or months while a parent recovers from an illness. When it is safe to do so we try to restore a child to their family as quickly as possible. However, if the courts decide a child needs to be permanently removed a permanent foster care placement will need to be found.
3. Who can be a foster carer?
There is not just one type of person who makes a good foster carer. We need carers from a range of ethnic, linguistic and cultural backgrounds in order to meet the wide ranging needs of the children requiring care. Foster carers must be at least 21-years-old and can be single women or men, cohabiting, married or same-sex couples, with or without children, young or old.
4. Do you need foster carers Australia-wide?
Barnardos Australia currently only needs foster carers in NSW and the ACT.
5. Do I need to have lots of space in my home to be able to foster?
You do not need a big house, but in most cases, depending on the age and gender of your children if you have them, you will need to have a spare bedroom to give the child much needed privacy and space.
6. Can I be a foster carer if my children still live at home?
This depends on the age of your children and the needs of the child you foster. Children who need care often have very complex needs and require a great deal of time and attention. Therefore caring for a foster child may not be appropriate if your own children are still very young. Fostering a child is a big change so it is important to talk to your children and to ask them how they feel about it.
7. Can I be a foster carer if I work?
This depends on the needs of the child and the type of care you are providing as well as the flexibility of your work. For permanent care we usually request that someone is able to be at home for the first 12 months of the placement. However, many of our carers who care for adolescents work full or part time, and respite carers are usually people who work full-time but are able to spend one weekend a month with a child.
8. Can I be a foster carer if I have a criminal record?
There are some offences and serious crimes which would automatically disqualify you from becoming a carer, however in general we assess each application on its individual merits and your eligibility to apply will depend on the nature of the offence and when it was committed.
9. How do I become a Barnardos Australia foster carer?
Please complete the Foster Care Enquiry Form, specifying where you live and which type of care you are interested in, and one of our workers from the relevant team will contact you to invite you to discuss further.
10. Can I foster children of a specific age or gender?
Yes you can specify an age range or gender of child you would like to foster. Our workers will discuss your preferences with you and assess your lifestyle to match the needs of a child to you and your individual situation.
11. How long will it take to become a foster carer?
It can take up to six months to be approved as a foster carer and then depending on which kind of care you are doing, it can take anything between a few days or several months to be allocated a child.
12. Will I receive any training?
Yes. All approved carers receive initial training specific to the type of care they are providing before a child or young person is placed with them. Three sessions a year of ongoing training are also provided to all carers in order to help develop the specialist skills required to care for a child or adolescent.
13. Do foster carers get paid?
Foster carers are paid a weekly allowance to cover the expenses of caring for a child such as food, clothing, education and other activities. The amount you are paid depends on the type of care you are providing and does not affect other government benefits you may already be receiving.
14. What support will I receive from Barnardos Australia?
Support is available to all our foster carers 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Our case managers provide assistance, support and home visits and regularly assess the placement to ensure the needs of both the child and the carer are being met. Foster carers receive ongoing training and can participate in regular support groups.
15. What if the child and I find it hard to get on with each other?
Children in care and their foster carers receive support throughout the placement and issues are dealt with by your case manager as they arise. Barnardos Australia will ensure that children with physical, emotional or behavioural problems receive the necessary support to help both the carer and the child deal with those issues.
16. Can I adopt a child through Barnardos Australia?
One third of the children placed in permanent foster care by Barnardos Australia are adopted by their carers. We believe that for many children in care finding them a new family via adoption is the best possible outcome.