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Barnardos > How to Help > Volunteering and Caring
Become a Barnardos Carer or Volunteer!
If you are interested in becoming a foster carer, scroll down for more information or click for an application form.
Caring and Volunteering Options
Although Barnardos has hundreds of carers and volunteers who work directly with children we always need more. There are a number of different programs and ways you can help.
Carers and volunteers are the backbone of many Barnardos programs and they cover a wide range of ages and circumstances.
Many children in Barnardos care have experienced abuse and neglect and may be confused, angry, withdrawn and aggressive and initially have problems with their schoolwork and with making friends.
Barnardos tries to keep siblings together and children close to supports, networks and educational and cultural groups that are important to them.
Barnardos carers share many common traits. With the support of a Barnardos worker they are able to:
- offer care to a young person or sibling group who may have behavioural and emotional problems
- deal with sometimes difficult behaviour
- overcome uncertainty about how a child in their care may develop.
You can help Barnardos by becoming a:
Permanent Carer – offering a permanent foster home to a child. Click here for more information on Permanent Care & Adoption
Temporary Family Care- Offering short-term placements for children and young people in the community Click here for more information on Foster Care & Adoption
Adoptive Parent – taking on all the rights and responsibilities of the birth parents for a child or a young person through a legal process. Click here for more information on Foster Care & Adoption
Foster Carer – offering a home environment with stability, patience and care. Click here for more information on Foster Care & Adoption
Bridging Carer – provides short term or "bridging" foster placements for children who are state wards. Click here for more information on Crisis & Respite Care
Respite Carer – committing to taking a child into your home for one weekend every month, to relieve the pressure on foster families and families under stress. Click here for more information on Crisis & Respite Care
Community Placement Carer – offering a stable living situation to a homeless young person. Click here for more information on Foster Care & Adoption
Kids Friends– becoming a Friend or Tutor to mentor a child for a few hours once a week. Click here for more information on Tutoring & Mentoring & Kids Friends
Payment
Depending upon which program you join, you may be a volunteer or paid an allowance.
Background, preparation and training
With all the volunteer programs dealing with children, carers are carefully matched with children, with consent on both sides. When you join Barnardos you will be a respected member of our professional team.
A number of information sessions are conducted for carers, and if you decide to proceed, Barnardos will need to have a number of meetings with you and your family. Police and referee checks are compulsory.
You will be expected to undertake training on an ongoing basis, and your Barnardos worker will always be there to offer 24 hour support. Regular information sessions will give you details about the welfare of the child in your care and the protocols of dealing with different situations.
Kids Friends
Kids Friends develop long-term supportive relationships with children from 6 to 16 years and take them out for a few hours once a week to enjoy a leisure activity and have a fun time. Kids Friends are needed in South Coast, Canberra, Auburn, Eastern and Inner Sydney and Penrith Centres.
Kids Friends Mentoring
Tutoring
This program matches tutors with children aged 6-16 years who provide two to three hours of tutoring a week to a disadvantaged child who may be falling behind in their school work.
Kids Friends Tutoring
Disability Programs
Barnardos Penrith Childrens Family Centre offer a number of disability programs which are highly dependent upon volunteers to offer much-needed support to families with a child or adolescent with a disability.
Families of children with a disability are under increased amounts of stress, for financial, emotional, social or practical reasons. Barnardos offers a number of disability support programs which require the help of volunteers, including respite care and WAGS (Wonder Kids Activity Group on Saturdays).
If you live in the Penrith area and would like to find out more about volunteering to help children with a disability, please contact Barnardos Penrith on (02) 4729 1211.
Caring in another way
If you do not wish to work directly with children but would like to help in another way please contact our Volunteer Co-ordinators in:
Sydney (02) 9281 7933
Canberra (02) 6241 5466
South Coast (02) 4275 8575
Carer application form
Volunteer application form
General Enquiry Form
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