Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese REPORT
31 Jan 2012
The transfer of care of children at risk from the NSW Department of Family and Community Services (DoCs) to non-government child welfare agencies such as CatholicCare has begun. The handing over of responsibility for several foster families and their young charges to the private sector is underway despite details of funding yet to be finalised.
But consultations between private child welfare agencies and the Government are continuing with all those involved determined to deliver long lasting reform that will improve the lives of the state's most vulnerable children.
"Our members and other private sector agencies are working with the Government towards achieving a unit cost with business rules that allow for special needs, and one that is equitable to providing quality care for children who cannot live with their birth parents, and who require stable, caring and supported living arrangements," says Andrew McCallum, CEO of the Association of Children's Welfare Agencies.
The Government has offered an annual contribution of $37,000 per child in standard care. However this is not considered enough by many of the private sector agencies to cover costs of looking after a child who has been abused and neglected, and who as a result is often troubled, difficult, filled with rage and problematic.
Such children need special care and patience and guardianship of such children needs to be of the highest quality, Mr McCallum says, but insists he is confident an agreement will be reached.
"This is the first time the Government has put a figure on the table. There is good will on both sides, and despite the NSW Government having scarce resources and having handed down a tight budget in September, it is determined to do what is best for the children," he says.
Since the March 2011 election, the O'Farrell government has acted on its pre-commitment to continue to roll-out the policy reforms agenda resulting from the Justice James Wood Inquiry into Child Protection handed down in late 2008.
The Inquiry recommended an increased focus on early intervention and support for families at risk, and wanted to see the responsibility of court-ordered out-of-home care for vulnerable abused or neglected children moved from the Department of Family and Community Services to the private sector. This way the children could be better looked after and monitored and the Department itself freed up to concentrate its staff resources on child protection.
The Wood Inquiry was instigated in the wake of the deaths of two young children in NSW after a two year old boy was found folded into a suitcase in a lake in Sydney's south west and a young girl found starved to death in her home in Hawks Nest, north of Sydney. Both children's families were known to the Department. But despite this and knowing the children were at risk, the Department had been unable to prevent their deaths due to the large number of cases and an over-stretched staff.
Vowing to reduce the number of children placed in out-of-home care by 2015, the NSW Government is also determined to prevent multiple placements at different foster homes which triggers developmental, behavioural, emotional and mental health issues among at risk children.
Placed in foster care by non government agencies, it is believed there will be more positive outcomes for these children. Certainly at agencies such as CatholicCare, not only are foster families carefully screened and given expert training but they receive ongoing support as well as funding. Visits and contact with the child's own family are also encouraged which in turn minimises trauma and feelings of abandonment for the young boy or girl.
The welfare agency of the Archdiocese of Sydney, CatholicCare has been involved with foster care of vulnerable children for more than half a century. Currently the agency has 81 well-trained, experienced and compassionate foster families who look after as many as 130 children each year.
"Some children are given emergency foster care which can last a few days or just a week or two. Others are in temporary care from a few weeks to several months while some are in long term care," says Andree Borc, CatholicCare's Manager for the Professional Support of Children.
CatholicCare's foster care program is highly regarded and well known for specialist foster care of children with disabilities. The agency also has foster families who are willing and able to foster siblings so that sisters and brothers who need out of home care can be kept together.
"For most children who cannot live safely with their own families, either on a temporary or more permanent basis, a foster home is the best possible caring environment in which to grow safely and learn how to trust and love," says Maureen Eagles, CatholicCare's Director of Family, Children and Youth Services.
CatholicCare (Sydney) together with CatholicCare and Centacare agencies across NSW provide hundreds of foster family and residential group care placements for children at risk and between them have more than 150 years experience in the field. Sadly, though with child abuse continuing to rise and more than 8000 children to be transferred from Department of Family and Community Services to out-of-home care in the private sector over the next five years, many more dedicated, committed and big hearted foster families will be needed.
"We have some wonderful foster families but we need more," says Andree, but warns that taking on the role of a foster parent requires more than a mother's love, no matter how big her heart and how generous her spirit.
"Loving the children is absolutely vital but so too is compassion, resilience, and self awareness so that you know your own limitations. Fostering means using all your skills as a mother. It also means acknowledging the child's birth parents who may be distanced from the child at that time but are nevertheless important figures in the child's life," she says.
Qualities such as humour, flexibility, openness and warmth are also important as are the reactions and responses of each member in the family. "Fostering affects everyone in the family whether this is your husband or your children, you need their input and support as well."
As a foster family with CatholicCare you enter into an ongoing and close partnership. With the help of the agency, you can make a positive and lasting difference in young people's lives.
If you wish to find out more, log on to www.catholiccare.org and click on "Children & Youth Services" and then from the column on the left hand side, click on Out of Home Care Services.
http://www.sydneycatholic.org/news/latest_news/2012/2012131_1461.shtml
31 Jan 2012
Hundreds of children are taken
into care each year
into care each year
But consultations between private child welfare agencies and the Government are continuing with all those involved determined to deliver long lasting reform that will improve the lives of the state's most vulnerable children.
"Our members and other private sector agencies are working with the Government towards achieving a unit cost with business rules that allow for special needs, and one that is equitable to providing quality care for children who cannot live with their birth parents, and who require stable, caring and supported living arrangements," says Andrew McCallum, CEO of the Association of Children's Welfare Agencies.
The Government has offered an annual contribution of $37,000 per child in standard care. However this is not considered enough by many of the private sector agencies to cover costs of looking after a child who has been abused and neglected, and who as a result is often troubled, difficult, filled with rage and problematic.
Such children need special care and patience and guardianship of such children needs to be of the highest quality, Mr McCallum says, but insists he is confident an agreement will be reached.
"This is the first time the Government has put a figure on the table. There is good will on both sides, and despite the NSW Government having scarce resources and having handed down a tight budget in September, it is determined to do what is best for the children," he says.
Foster Mums Open their Hearts and Homes
to children in need
to children in need
The Inquiry recommended an increased focus on early intervention and support for families at risk, and wanted to see the responsibility of court-ordered out-of-home care for vulnerable abused or neglected children moved from the Department of Family and Community Services to the private sector. This way the children could be better looked after and monitored and the Department itself freed up to concentrate its staff resources on child protection.
The Wood Inquiry was instigated in the wake of the deaths of two young children in NSW after a two year old boy was found folded into a suitcase in a lake in Sydney's south west and a young girl found starved to death in her home in Hawks Nest, north of Sydney. Both children's families were known to the Department. But despite this and knowing the children were at risk, the Department had been unable to prevent their deaths due to the large number of cases and an over-stretched staff.
Vowing to reduce the number of children placed in out-of-home care by 2015, the NSW Government is also determined to prevent multiple placements at different foster homes which triggers developmental, behavioural, emotional and mental health issues among at risk children.
CatholicCare's foster program
tries to keep siblings together
tries to keep siblings together
The welfare agency of the Archdiocese of Sydney, CatholicCare has been involved with foster care of vulnerable children for more than half a century. Currently the agency has 81 well-trained, experienced and compassionate foster families who look after as many as 130 children each year.
"Some children are given emergency foster care which can last a few days or just a week or two. Others are in temporary care from a few weeks to several months while some are in long term care," says Andree Borc, CatholicCare's Manager for the Professional Support of Children.
CatholicCare's foster care program is highly regarded and well known for specialist foster care of children with disabilities. The agency also has foster families who are willing and able to foster siblings so that sisters and brothers who need out of home care can be kept together.
"For most children who cannot live safely with their own families, either on a temporary or more permanent basis, a foster home is the best possible caring environment in which to grow safely and learn how to trust and love," says Maureen Eagles, CatholicCare's Director of Family, Children and Youth Services.
Foster care can be rewarding
and make a positive difference
to a young life
and make a positive difference
to a young life
"We have some wonderful foster families but we need more," says Andree, but warns that taking on the role of a foster parent requires more than a mother's love, no matter how big her heart and how generous her spirit.
"Loving the children is absolutely vital but so too is compassion, resilience, and self awareness so that you know your own limitations. Fostering means using all your skills as a mother. It also means acknowledging the child's birth parents who may be distanced from the child at that time but are nevertheless important figures in the child's life," she says.
Qualities such as humour, flexibility, openness and warmth are also important as are the reactions and responses of each member in the family. "Fostering affects everyone in the family whether this is your husband or your children, you need their input and support as well."
As a foster family with CatholicCare you enter into an ongoing and close partnership. With the help of the agency, you can make a positive and lasting difference in young people's lives.
If you wish to find out more, log on to www.catholiccare.org and click on "Children & Youth Services" and then from the column on the left hand side, click on Out of Home Care Services.
http://www.sydneycatholic.org/news/latest_news/2012/2012131_1461.shtml
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