ac.care
Orientation Training - Module 3
Orientation Training - Module 3
Last activity on April 29, 2026
1. Identity and Connection
Identity
Part of a foster carer’s role is to assist a child to develop a strong sense of identity in order to have self-value as an individual. Being able to recognise what is unique about a child allows a carer to foster skills and interests to assist in the development of worth. The Charter of Rights for Children and Young People in care states that children in care have the right to be treated like other children and young people who do not live in care.
This includes the right to having all of their personal items kept safe, like photographs, school reports and other special belongings. It also includes the right to develop talents and interests such as sport and art. For children in care, having family contact can assist them to find their identity and have an understanding of where they belong in part of a larger community. Contact also assists a child to keep hold of reality by understanding their situation and the reality of their circumstances.
This fact sheet discusses adolescence and the development of Identity. A core part of adolescence (12 to 25 years old) is building and establishing ones identity.
Birth families and contact
Children in care have the right to know who their family is, where they are and to keep in contact with family where it has been determined it is safe to do so. Birth families play an important role in assisting a child to feel good about themselves and understanding who they are as an individual.
There are a range of circumstances in which can lead to families having children placed in Out of Home Care. Some of the circumstances are things such as:
- Poverty and unemployment
- Death
- Social Isolation
- Long-term social problems
- Lack of skills in parenting / lack of appropriate parenting figure
- Dependence on other people, drugs or alcohol
- Mental Illness
- Childhood trauma
- Intellectual disability
- Adult attachment and relationship difficulties
Biological families should be given the opportunity to maintain contact with their children where possible. ‘Family contact’ is the process of assisting a child to maintain safe and positive links with their birth families. Family contact can take place with parents, siblings, grandparents, other family members and even close friends. Contact may take the form face-to-face visits, phone conversations, exchanging letters, gifts, photos or through social media. Children in care who have been separated from their siblings can experience grief, loss and anxiety around where their siblings may be. Maintaining contact can assist a child to feel more secure about their situation and the situation for their siblings. The frequency and length of contact can vary significantly depending on a range of factors such as the child’s age and whether an attempt is being made to reunify the child with the family. Contact arrangements should be discussed with a Department for Child Protection caseworker.
Source: Charter of Rights for Children and Young People in care, Office of the Guardian