PEOPLE passionate about the welfare of children are urged to attend a foster care forum this month in Strathalbyn to learn how they can make a difference in young local lives.
Foster carers are needed to support vulnerable children unable to live with their birth parents in the Murraylands, Fleurieu Peninsula and Adelaide Hills.
Regional not-for-profit ac.care will host the community forum at Strathalbyn Community Centre on Tuesday, June 25, to highlight the need for more carers to open their hearts and homes to provide safety and stability to children.
“We have a wonderful network of carer households across country South Australia who provide safe homes and positive relationships for children,” ac.care out of home care executive manager Stephen Green said.
“These diverse carers truly transform the lives of young people by providing care, safety and support for vulnerable kids when they need it most.
“But there is a growing number of children coming into state care through no fault of their own and simply not enough carers to meet this demand, so we need more people prepared to protect and care for children in our community, from infants through to teenagers.”
He said expanding the pool of carers in the region would help ensure the most vulnerable babies, children and teenagers in our community could be placed in caring home-based family environments when the need arises.
A key element of the forum will be short films sharing the stories of regional foster carers, including Suzanne and Darren Moss, who have welcomed children into their home as dedicated foster carers for two decades.
Blessed with a country lifestyle on their 130-acre property in the Murraylands, the rural setting has provided a perfect backdrop for children to grow and thrive with the Moss family.
“We feel grateful we can do this for children and provide them with experiences they may not have had the opportunity to enjoy otherwise,” Suzanne said.
“A lot of these little people just need someone to love them and care about them genuinely.”
Mr Moss urged others to consider becoming foster carers.
“If you want to change a child’s life for the better, even if it is for a day, week, month or one or two years, then go to the forum to learn more,” Darren said.
“Do it because you really want to nurture children and you want children to succeed.
“Suzanne and I have always said that if we can change a child’s life for the better by them having known us, well then we are happy.”
Carers Holly and Tracy Upton will also share their stories and answer questions.
Mr Green said people from diverse backgrounds could become carers.
“We are looking for people from all cultures and across diverse family settings, from couples with or without children of their own, through to single adults, retirees and same sex couples,” Mr Green said.
“What matters is whether someone has the capacity to care for a child – we support people throughout their learning and care experience, but that can include people of all backgrounds and be combined with existing parenting, employment and other commitments.
“This is a significant social issue for our community and we hope the upcoming forum allows people to learn more about the local situation and the inspiring difference foster carers can make in young lives.”
The forum will be held from 6pm on Tuesday, June 25. Call 1300 ACCARE (1300 222 273) for more information.
