Our foster carers are caring, empathetic people and families who provide long-term care or short-term respite care in metropolitan Adelaide.

Long-term care
A long-term carer provides care until the young person turns 18 years old. A strong bond and lifelong relationship can develop as they find stability within your family.

Respite foster care
Children already in long-term care may need a regular or occasional break from their daily routines. Providing respite foster care for one weekend a month, a week in school holidays or a one-off overnight stay can make a big difference to their lives.

Foster carers don’t all look the same, and can come from all backgrounds and situations, or be different ages and sexualities.

You don’t have to already have children, be in a relationship or own a home. The most important attribute is that you are patient, understanding and flexible, and committed to providing care to young people.

You will need to provide adequate and safe accommodation, in a home you either rent or own. Each child, regardless of age, will need to have their own room.

Long-term foster carers need to be mentally and physically able to care for the child until they can live independently.

Our foster carers are able to:

• offer ongoing care

• provide a safe and stable home that supports a child’s sense of security and belonging

• promote positive wellbeing and development

• work as part of a team that includes Uniting Communities staff, the Department for Child Protection, the child’s birth family and other organisations

• undertake ongoing training and development

• support the child’s connections to their family and culture

• be resilient and seek support from family and friends

• respond sensitively to the child’s needs.

We can provide you with a range of support through the application process and in your foster caring role.

When you decide to apply to become a foster carer, we will support you through the application process, giving you the information and training you need to be successful. By getting to know you and your family, we can also work with you on the best types of foster care placement for you.

Children with complex needs come to foster care for a variety of reasons. Many have experienced trauma, abuse or neglect, so we work closely with you to provide additional support in managing their emotional and behavioural needs.

We provide the latest training for our foster carers, who receive an allowance to help cover the cost of caring for a child. You can also access a support network of counsellors and other carers.

We will provide:

• 24/7 telephone support

• a dedicated social worker who is your main point of contact and will organise support whenever you need it

• regular home visits

• training opportunities to further develop your skills and know-how

• a tax-free allowance

• help to identify and apply for a range of Centrelink benefits.

The process to becoming a foster carer can take between four and six months. It includes health and medical checks by your GP, a housing safety check, a criminal record check, a ‘Working with Children’ check, and personal reference checks.

These six steps outline the process:

1. Enquiry: If you are thinking about becoming a foster carer, you probably have a few questions – contact us on 08 8202 5190 or enquire online for more information and advice. Once you decide that you’d like to become a foster carer, please ask us for an application pack.

2. Home visit: We will visit you so that you can get to know us and ask any questions you may have about foster care. We’ll explain the process and how we support our foster carers.

3. Assessment: We will visit you in your home between eight and ten times to help you prepare for being a foster carer and to establish your suitability.

4. Training: You will complete the ‘Shared Stories Shared Lives’ course, which provides in-depth training about foster care.

5. Approval: Once you are approved to be a foster carer, we will work with you to place a child or young person in your care.

6. Fostering with us: We will be here for you every step of the way throughout your fostering journey.