Demand for foster carers soars amid complaints over pay

VICTORIA is facing a chronic shortage of foster carers, caused in part by the state having the lowest pay rate in the country for carers, an advocacy group warns.

Mum and foster carer Kate says her daughter Beth loves having other kids stay with them. Picture: Josie Hayden.

MORE foster carers are desperately needed for Victorian kids but low payment rates are hurting recruitment, an advocacy group warns.

Foster Care Association of Victoria chief executive Katie Hooper said Victorian foster carers had the lowest rate of reimbursement in Australia.

“You can’t attract people to do this work and be significantly out of pocket at the same time.

“We know people don’t do it for the money, but it needs to be there as recognition and support,” she said.

The warning came as the state’s largest foster care provider, Anglicare Victoria, began a recruitment push.

“(We) are constantly in need of caring individuals across Victoria who can provide a supportive and secure environment for the state’s most vulnerable children,” said chief executive Paul McDonald.

“At the start of the year, when children are returning to or beginning school for the first time, foster carers are crucial to providing a stable environment to come home to at the end of the school day.”

Victoria is home to 2500 foster carers with up to 4000 children in their care on any given night.

The foster care system has been plagued with problems including privacy breaches at the child protection agency.

Minister for Children Jenny Mikakos said the State Government’s $168 million ‘Roadmap for Reform’ would improve the system.

“The Government is getting on with recruiting new foster carers and helping vulnerable children, and we are building on the numbers of foster carers in Victoria every day,” she said.

Darebin mum Kate and her partner became accredited short-term foster carers 18 months ago.

“We were starting to plan our own family and were thinking about how all children deserve to be welcomed into a family,” she said.

Kate said her two-year-old daughter Beth enjoyed having new faces in the house.

“At first we were concerned about how she would react, but Beth always loves whoever comes and stays and is sad when they go,” she said.

Kate acknowledged the financial burden might be a barrier for some, but encouraged both singles and couples to get involved.

“Consider the positive impact that you can have on another child,” she said.

Anglicare Victoria will host a free information session in Preston on April 4.

For more information visit anglicarevic.org.au