CareSouth - Foster Care

Are you interested in becoming a foster carer?
What does foster care involve?
Foster care is required when a child or young person cannot live with their parents for a period of time. This may be due to relationship difficulties, child protection reasons, a family crisis or other issues.A foster carer will provide care and a place to live for the child or young person.

This may be for a few days or weeks or longer periods depending on the circumstances. A foster carer is part of a team that works to help the family get back together. Where this is not possible, foster carers can help provide stable long-term care for the child.Although some young people will need long-term care until they reach 18 years of age, it is important for children and young people in foster care to be encouraged to maintain relationships and contact with their families and people who are significant to them.Becoming a foster carer is a special commitment, as the carer needs to provide secure, loving care yet be able to let go if a child is able to be restored to their own family.

CareSouth supports both children and young people with basic needs as well as young people with challenging behaviour due to their
life experiences. In the case of a young person with complex or high needs, CareSouth provides intensive support to the carer and
young person. These services are able to include regular respite, mentoring, ongoing training, support of an experienced caseworker,
after-hours call out service, counselling etc. All CareSouth foster carers receive regular training in issues such as managing difficult behaviour, sexualised behaviour, mental health, caring for children with a disability. CareSouth supports the needs of children and young people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds when they may enter care from time to time. Specific training is provided to carers in cultural awareness and the implementation of culturally informed practises. A generous tax free allowance is paid fortnightly to carers to meet the costs of the child.

Could you become a Foster Carer?
Foster care can be provided by an individual, couple or family. Specialised foster care is best suited to those people whose children are older or have already left home. Single people are often in a good position to be carers. CareSouth also welcomes interests from people from an Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islands or Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds.

Qualities of a carer include:
> Dependable
> Nurturing
> The ability to communicate well
> A commitment to children and young people
> A strong, stable and structured home environment
> The ability to work in a team
> A professional attitude
> Flexibility

Assessments required
CareSouth has a statutory obligation to thoroughly screen, train and assess all people who apply to be foster carers. These checks and
assessments generally take more than four weeks to complete.
CareSouth reserves the right to reject applicants that are considered to be unsuitable to provide foster care.

Information
If you would like more information about foster care, please contact the CareSouth Community Care Team on 1300 554 260. Information
packs for prospective carers are available.

What is the Family Choices Program?
Children and young people with a disability who are unable to live permanently with their birth families can benefit from alternative family care. Family Choices enables families to voluntarily participate in an alternative family care arrangement. Parental responsibility and guardianship remains with the birth family and there are no child protection grounds for the child or young person’s placement.
In order to meet the different needs of children and young people and their birth families, a range of voluntary care options can be arranged including:

About CareSouth
CareSouth is a not-for-profit community organisation that provides a range of accommodation, care and support services for children,
young people, adults with disabilities and their families. Services extend from the Illawarra to the far south coast.

Contact Details
11 Haigh Avenue, Nowra
PO Box 1076, Nowra NSW 2541
Telephone: 1300 554 260
Facsimile: 02 4423 6834