Fostering Children

Introduction:

As of September 2012 the amount of foster children currently residing in Australia was almost two and a half thousand. One third of those have lived in five or more foster homes over their lives and almost four hundred children have lived in ten or more foster homes. But why is it so hard for these children to find a stable placement in a foster home?

In this investigation I will be using both primary and secondary sources to answer the following:

• What are the processes involved when fostering a child?

• What toll does the process take on the intended carer and child?

• Overall does the process benefit the child?

I use these questions in the hope that they will aid me in answering “What are the difficulties in fostering a child in Australia and should they altered to benefit the two parties involved?”

The sources used will range from interviews with a foster parent who wishes to remain anonymous, newspaper articles, government websites and first hand experience in a government crisis home.

What are the processes involved when fostering a child?

In normal cases of fostering there are eight major steps to having a foster child placed in your home.

Expression of interest- You contact a foster care agency to let them know you want to become a foster carer. They send a pack aimed at providing you with information to help you make an informed choice about becoming a foster carer.

Information exchange- session and meeting the household- After reading information provided by the foster care agency, if you remain interested to proceed, the agency will meet you to discuss the process in detail, answer your questions and meet members of your family.

Application- The next step involves submitting an application to your foster care agency.

Checks- A foster care agency will require information for the purpose of carrying out checks on you and your family. These include:

• Criminal record checks for all adults living in the home 


• Child protection checks- this involves contact with the Department for Education and Child Development 


• Referee checks


• A medical check

An assessment worker from the fostering agency will need to confirm that your home is safe for children.

Assessments- When the agency receives your application, they will arrange assessment appointments with you and your family in your home. One can expect about 6 sessions with each lasting around two hours.