Central Coast foster carers needed with 1300 children in care
With an urgent need for foster carers across the coast, Teegan Rae and her foster mum Carole Hancock share their inspiring story.
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FOSTER carers are desperately needed across the Central Coast, with 1300 children and young people unable to live with their families.
This alarming statistic has been revealed by CatholicCare Diocese of Broken Bay, with children currently in emergency care. There is an urgent call for people in a position to care for these children and ensure they have a safe home.
Teegan Rae said she wouldn’t be the confident young woman she is today without her foster mum Carole Hancock.
The 19-year-old was removed from her home at the age of just seven, along with her siblings Kaitlyn and brother Kerrin, and put into emergency care with Mrs Hancock.
“We had been removed due to safety issues from our parents,” she said.
“We got put into Carole’s care. When she realised how much trauma we had been through, she made the decision that we couldn’t be rehomed again.”
Mrs Hancock took on the trio long term, and 12 years later Ms Rae is a confident young woman about to start a nursing degree at university and has just returned from a trip of a lifetime to the US and Canada.
Mrs Hancock, who was one of six children, had a successful corporate career and “opted for something different”, becoming a foster carer in 2003.
“It’s probably the hardest job I've ever done, but at the same time the most rewarding,” she said.
“There’s nothing like seeing children get to maturity and start making considered decisions. Being able to see they are happy, confident and mature young adults is amazing.”
She said when Ms Rae and her siblings came into emergency care with her, she felt they needed security.
“I definitely wanted to have more of an impact if I was going to do this type of work,” she said.
“When they arrived, I thought ‘what are the options for these children?’ People willing to take three siblings is hard to find. It’s so important to keep them together; you need to have that connection and there was no reason why I couldn't take them.”
Ms Rae said if she hadn’t been removed from her parents, her life would be completely different.
“If the abuse we suffered continued, we could have grown up really damaged,” she said.
“It was hard in school. Kids ask a lot of questions and I found I was bullied because I was a foster kid. But having that support network and a home is really good. Without Carole I wouldn’t be who I am today. I wouldn’t have travelled if she didn’t encourage me.”
Mrs Hancock said the lack of foster carers was tragic and described the role as a “fantastic opportunity that will challenge you on every level”.
“You are signing up for children that are going to need a lot of work,” she said.
“Nobody should do it thinking it’s going to be an easy life. But it’s a rewarding one. These children need a safe place and someone who has their best interests at heart. A sense of belonging is so incredibly important.”
For more information on being a foster carer visit www.catholiccaredbb.org.au/fostercare.