FOSTER carers and their families recently joined ac.care’s first Easter carer community event held in the Riverland.
Over a dozen carers and 24 children attended the social outing, which celebrated the difference carers make when they open their hearts and homes to vulnerable children.
After weather forced an event cancellation in 2022, sunshine greeted attendees at Berri’s Alan Glassey Park as fun games and activities kept everyone entertained.
In our other regions, inclement weather saw Murraylands-based carers and children enjoy their Easter outing at a Mount Barker play café, while a barbecue lunch for Limestone Coast carers was held at Mount Gambier’s Valley Lakes precinct.
ac.care acting foster care service senior manager Sherri Winter said the Easter gatherings were just one way foster carers and their families could come together, along with ac.care staff, to build connections and social support in the carer community.
“With Easter and school holidays being a busy time for many, it was pleasing to see so many carers and children at these events having fun and socialising together,” Ms Winter said.
“The contribution carers make to children in their care by providing safety and security is immeasurable.
“Carer community events like these are another place where we see how the love and support carers provide is helping children to thrive.
“They are also important to allow carers to connect socially as they’re each on a challenging but rewarding journey.”
Ms Winter also thanked Big W Mount Gambier and Murray Bridge for donating Easter eggs, which were handed out to families at the events.
Meanwhile, ac.care continues to call for more people to join its network of foster carers across the Limestone Coast, Murraylands, Riverland, Adelaide Hills and Fleurieu Peninsula.
“Sadly, the number of foster carers supported through our network across eastern country South Australia to care for local children unable to live with their birth families is not enough to meet the demand,” Ms Winter said.
“We simply need more people to become foster carers with our support so that when children face a situation where they need a safe home and positive relationships there is somewhere available for them, even if it is for a short time until a longer option is available.”
The local agency is seeking caring adults to join its network of carers to provide short-term, emergency or long-term care for children, or occasional respite care, such as at weekends, to support other foster carers.
“We have staff based locally to support people with training to become foster carers and are available to provide 24/7 support as part of a care team for children and young people,” Ms Winter said.
Anyone interested in finding out more about foster care is urged to visit accare.org.au, email care@accare.org.au or call 1300 ACCARE (1300 222 273).
