Linda Little tearfully begs South Burnett to help foster children

A South Burnett councillor has broken down during a heartfelt plea for the local community to consider fostering children amid a critical shortage of carers in the region.

South Burnett councillor Linda Little has made an emotional plea during the monthly general meeting for foster carers to step up in the community as it faces a critical shortage.

Fighting back tears during Wednesday’s meeting, Ms Little said the need for foster carers was now “desperate”.

She addressed common misconceptions that deterred people from fostering, such as concerns about working full-time, renting, or being single.

“None of those are any reason to not foster. I can say if you have a spare bed and room in your heart, you are the perfect person to foster a child,” Ms Little said.

She urged anyone willing to make a difference in a child’s life to contact local support organisations such as CTC Partners in Foster Care, or the local child safety office.

“Contact me and I will help you navigate the foster carer system,” she said.

Ms Little’s appeal received support from her fellow councillors, including Mayor Kathy Duff, who praised her dedication to the community.

“You really do care, and that’s what we want in a councillor, someone who cares about the community. So thank you for what you do,” Ms Duff said.

Division 2 councillor Linda Little has made a heartfelt plea urging the South Burnett community to consider fostering as the region faces a critical shortage of carers.

Division 6 councillor Ros Heit echoed Ms Little’s sentiments, calling foster carers “absolute champions” who transform the lives of children.

“If you can change the life of a child for the better then you have changed a human being for their whole life,” Ms Heit said.

Division 4 councillor Deb Dennien added that fostering had evolved over the years, making it more accessible to a wider range of people.

“It was different years ago when people couldn’t foster if they were young or old, in a same sex relationship and now you can, it doesn’t matter, if you’re a good person you can give that to another young person and it makes a big difference,” she said.

Ms Little and her husband of 37 years, Phil, do not have children of their own but have helped raise dozens of children through foster care.

In February, she said they had fostered more than 50 children in just the previous two years.

“Why not? Why not give them a chance to have a great life, especially in this area, it’s so relaxed. They don’t have the pressures of the big cities and all the other massive distractions, you can just relax and be yourself,” she said.

One of their foster children had been with them for about 13 years and was just about to start university.

“It’s fabulous considering I didn’t think he would finish Year 9,” she said.

In November 2023, CTC CEO Jason Erbacher described the situation as a crisis, with carer numbers at a critical low.

Angie Dingle, Jason Erbacher and Brenda Brown from CTC launched one of regional Queensland's biggest foster carer recruitment drives in Wondai last November.

“We need potential carers to step up, and we need them to step up now. Kids in our region deserve a safe place to call home,” Mr Erbacher said.

Foster care alumni Lateesha Haim, 21, also spoke of the life-changing impact fostering could have and appealed for more people to open their hearts and homes to children in need.

“For someone else to be able to take on kids and love them as their own, it really changes your life,” she said.

CTC’s Partners in Foster Care provided 160 placements for children under child protection orders in 2023.

Anyone interested in becoming a foster carer or supporting the initiative is encouraged to contact the organisation.

“Every young person deserves a fair go,” Mr Erbacher said.

Originally published as Linda Little tearfully begs South Burnett to help foster children