Fostering belonging

“I don't even remember the season. I just remember walking between them and feeling for the first time that I belonged somewhere.” Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower. 

The need for foster carers is colossal and growing. Children entering the foster system far outstrip the amount of carers able to house them. Carers often get told they are ‘angels’, or an ‘inspiration’. 

‘I wish I could do what you do.’ people say.
 ‘You could.’ They answer.

Photo by Robert Collins on Unsplash

Still, in society such as ours, which upholds love, belonging and family to the degree we do, numbers of carers are shamefully lower than they should be. Perhaps this is due to limited understanding about foster care itself. For example did you know there are many ways to become a foster carer? 

There is such a thing as respite foster care and this lesser known cousin of foster care offers multitudes of avenues to help young people in need of homes, and in need of care. 

The length of the stay can vary wildly- a respite career may offer only emergency respite care, if there has been a placement breakdown. This may be only a few days or a bit longer. Alternatively a respite carer may decide short term respite care is for them - and this could also be a few days, or be over a weekend or for a month, for as many years as you’d like. 

In terms of foster care, if there is a will, there is a way.

​In this podcast you can find out more about foster care, including respite foster care from our guest Chelsea.

Listen to "Fostering belonging" on Spreaker.

If you think you’d like to explore respite foster caring, and would like to find out more, you can contact: 
http://canifoster.com.au/ or call any foster agency in your region.  

​Shop around. It’s worth it.
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​Changing a young person’s life could possibly be the most rewarding thing you’ve ever done.

By Kimberley Lipschus