Supporting Carers Of Other People's Children - Australian Foster ...

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NEW SOUTH WALESNew South Wales support informationFoster care is arranged and supported by theDepartment of Community Services (DoCS)and non-government foster care agencies. Theauthority to provide foster care comes under theChildren and Young Persons (Care and Protection)Act 1998 (NSW).Foster care placements for children and youngpeople can be short or long term and include:• Emergency or crisis placements• Short term (temporary) placements• Bridging (medium term) placements• Long term and permanent care placements• Respite care placementsRecruitment, training and authorisation ofcarersPeople interested in becoming foster carersshould contact the Foster Care Recruitment Line(1800 011 110), their local DoCS office or anon-government foster care agency. They willreceive an information package and will be invitedto attend an information session where they canfind out more about the roles and responsibilities offoster carers.Potential carers are trained and assessed using theShared Stories, Shared Lives training package andthe competency based Step by Step assessmentpackage. There is also a culturally specific trainingand assessment package for Aboriginal fostercarers. The assessment process includes probity,reference and medical checks and currentlyinvolves interviews with all members of thehousehold to help determine whether fostering issuitable for them and their family. The training isdesigned to give carers realistic information aboutfoster caring, and help carers understand howchildren’s life experiences effect their behaviourand their capacities.Once the assessment and training is completed andthe application to be a foster carer is approved,carers are authorised to care for a certain numberof children, within a particular age range and levelof need. Some carers may be authorised to provideshort term emergency or respite care, others maybe authorised for long term care.Authorisation is for a period of five years andprobity checks are undertaken again at the endof the five-year period. Throughout the period ofauthorisation carers receive support, supervisionand ongoing training to develop and maintain theskills required to meet the needs of the child oryoung person in their care.DoCS Helpline:Phone 13 2111 TTY 02 9633 7698 to reportchild abuse and neglect (24 hours)Department support and informationDoCS Head Office4-6 Cavill Ave, Ashfield NSW 213(Locked Bag 28, Ashfield NSW 1800)Phone 02 9716 2222TTY 02 9633 7698Fax 02 9716 2999Website www.community.nsw.gov.auDoCS Community Services Centres and regionaloffices - see list of phone numbers onWebsite www.community.nsw.gov.au or in theWhite Pages.RecruitmentRecruitment through the Foster CareRecruitment Line 1800 011 110, any local DoCSoffice, orACWA foster care recruitment line 1800 629 628Children and young people supportCREATE Foundation — NSW BranchPhone 1800 655 105 (for young people in care)Fax 02 9267 9433Kids Help LinePhone 1800 55 1800Legal Aid HelplinePhone 1800 101 810 (for under 18s)Youth LifelinePhone 131 114Counselling supportDomestic Violence LinePhone 1800 656 463TTY 1800 671 442 (24 hours)LifelinePhone 13 1114Salvo Crisis LinePhone 02 9331 2000 (24 hour suicideprevention line)Alcohol & Drug Information ServicePhone 02 9361 8000 or 1800 422 599Family Drug SupportPhone 02 9818 6166 or 1300 368 186Financial support for foster carersFoster carers in NSW receive a fortnightlyallowance. A number of other payments andreimbursements are available to meet theadditional costs of a child or young person. Theseadditional costs may include professional therapy,specialist medical treatment and facilitating contactwith birth families.A list of allowance types and eligibility, and a listof extra financial support available to foster carerscan be found on the DoCS websitewww.community.nsw.gov.au.48Parenting supportKaritanePhone 02 9794 1852 or 1300 227 464 (24 hourinformation and counselling)TresillianPhone 02 9787 0855 or 1800 637 357 (24 hourinformation and counselling)Parent LinePhone 13 2055 (advice and information forparents)
Ongoing support for foster carersSpecialised foster care support positions havebeen established in each of DoCS’ seven regionsto be responsible for the recruitment, training andsupport of foster carers.DoCS caseworkers can help to arrange supportfrom psychologists, remedial teachers, respite careand health services, depending on the child’s needsas identified in case planning.DoCS provides funding to the Foster CareAssociation (NSW) Inc. and the Aboriginal Child,Family and Community Care State Secretariat, tosupport and train foster carers and caseworkers.RecruitmentRecruitment through the Foster Care RecruitmentLine 1800 011 110, any local DoCS office, or ACWAfoster care recruitment line 1800 629 628.Advocacy and guardianship supportNSW Commission for Children and Young PeoplePhone 02 9286 7276Office of the Children’s Guardian (OCG)Phone 02 9025 4200Administrative Decisions TribunalPhone 1800 060 410 (free call)NSW OmbudsmanPhone 02 9286 1000 or 1800 451 524 (free call)Foster care service providersFor an extensive list of NSW foster care serviceproviders see www.community.nsw.gov.auFoster Care Association (NSW) Inc.Office 131 Hawkesbury Road Westmead NSW 2145Phone 02 9633 5816 (Office hours 9am — 5pm Monday to Friday)02 9633 3824 (24 hour support)Fax 02 9633 4914Email fcansw@fcansw.org.auWebsite www.fcansw.org.auAfter hours assistance and supportA 24 hour support line is available for all foster carers, department or non-government. It isanswered by experienced foster carers. Please call 02 9633 3824.Services provided:Legal supportLegal Aid NSW (Law Access NSW)Phone 1300 888 529Website www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au/asp/index.aspCommunity Legal ServicesWebsite www.naclc.org.au/directory/centres.html#nswNSW Bar Association Legal AssistanceSchemePhone 02 9232 4055Website www.nswbar.asn.au/Public/LegalAssistance/content_legass.phpLaw Society of NSW Pro Bono SchemePhone 02 9926 0364Website www.lawsociety.com.au/page.asp?partID=6744Public Interest Law Clearing House (NSW)Phone 02 9299 7833. Fax 02 9299 7855Website www.piac.asn.au/legal/pilchhelp.htmlSupreme Court of New South Wales LegalAssistance SchemePhone 02 9230 8071Website www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/sc/sc.nsf/pages/probonoIndigenous care supportAboriginal Child, Family and CommunityCare State SecretariatPhone 02 9264 8190 or 02 9264 0088Aboriginal Statewide Foster Carer SupportServicePhone 02 9264 0088 or 1800 888 698• telephone and Email support and referral;• support person/s available to attend case conferences/court/mediation and administrative decisiontribunal and various other meetings as requested, including allegations in care;• access to Support Groups across the state;• advocacy on all issues pertaining to foster care and kinship care;• bi-annual conference;• camps for carers and children in care and carers’ own children;• support to attend training, conferences or workshops about the care of children in out-of-home care;• input into DoCS training of new caseworkers and/or information sessions about carers and caring;• newsletter (10 times a year) delivered to all foster carers in NSW known to the Association;• books, articles and videos relating to foster care available for hire from the Association library;• partnership with the Aboriginal Child, Family and Community State Secretariat (AbSec) aboutindigenous care issues;• partnership with CREATE to gain the maximum input for children and young people in out-of-homecare;• active member of AFCA, the national voice of foster carers, providing regular input on nationalissues with an impact on NSW foster carers.NEW SOUTH WALES49
Page 1 and 2: Australian Foster CareAssociation I
Page 3 and 4: ContentsPreface 5Roles of the Austr
Page 5 and 6: Message from the MinisterChildren a
Page 7 and 8: Australian Government payments anda
Page 9 and 10: Carer AllowanceCarer PaymentCarer P
Page 11 and 12: Initial exemptions are for up to 12
Page 13 and 14: Documents that Centrelink in each s
Page 15 and 16: Laurel,LaurelJennie’s MumNone of
Page 17 and 18: Child SupportSchemeThe Australian G
Page 19 and 20: Defining featuresof Australian fost
Page 21 and 22: • the relevant court orders, if a
Page 23 and 24: Caring forIndigenous kidsMore foste
Page 25 and 26: Elizabethzabeth, veteran carer of b
Page 27 and 28: Organising foster children’s pass
Page 29 and 30: Accessing Legal AidPeople seeking l
Page 31 and 32: ClaireClaire, former child in careI
Page 33 and 34: Foster children and Medicare cardsT
Page 35 and 36: threshold of $500 in a calendar yea
Page 37 and 38: The importance of maintaining links
Page 39 and 40: ABSTUDYABSTUDY is available to Abor
Page 41 and 42: MatthewMatthew, young person in car
Page 43 and 44: Transition to Independent Living Al
Page 45 and 46: Rapp Care Song - Kerry KempWhat doe
Page 47: • Galilee Family Placement Scheme
Page 51 and 52: RecruitmentFACS always welcomes cal
Page 53 and 54: Following their initial approval as
Page 55 and 56: throughout the year. Training usual
Page 57 and 58: Tasmania support informationThe Dep
Page 59 and 60: Victoria support informationThe Dep
Page 61 and 62: egional approval panel approves car
Page 63 and 64: progressing a qualification for fos
Page 65 and 66: IndexAAboriginal and Torres Strait
Page 67 and 68: FeedbackThis publication is the fir

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