EVERY child deserves the right to feel safe. But too often, for whatever reason, kids face a life on the streets.
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Foster carers can provide a constant, in an otherwise turbulent life for some of these children.
Without the good work of foster carers, some kids would not be afforded the same right as their cousins, neighbours, schoolmates or friends.
Kids under the age of 18 are impressionable. Their experiences throughout their child and teen years profoundly shape their transition into adulthood.
So it is important we give every kid the best possible shot at life.
That’s where the good work of foster carers comes in.
New England faces a foster care shortage, and it’s a reality we need to face up to.
One local couple has shared the story of why they take in foster children – from all ages across short and long-term stays – in the hope others will follow suit.
They describe foster parenting as a rewarding experience and one that can teach carers just as much as they teach the children.
The state government announced an overhaul to the adoption system on Thursday, which could see adoptive parents paid, similar to foster carers.
It’s a move that has been applauded by local foster care provider, Challenge Community Services, and for good reason.
Making adoptive parenting more appealing is a huge win for foster children.
Parents adopting children under the age of four would receive an allowance of $488 a fortnight, up to $738 for teenagers, and more for high-needs children, under a $24-million investment.
The NSW government says prospective adoptive parents would be means-tested via a rigorous process, with the move set to benefit more than 18,000 kids in out-of-home care across the state.
Challenge has about 95 children in out-of-home care across the New England region in almost 70 carer homes.
But the group still urgently needs more foster carers for primary school and high school-aged children.
Any step the government can take to improve the lives of children by providing support for foster carers, or adoptive parents, is a good one.
Without helping those who help others, the system will crumble. This funding is a huge step in the right direction.
