Uniting Country SA: Become A Foster Carer

Meet foster carers Steven and Maxine and learn about their experience

What does it take to be a good foster carer?

What impact does being a foster carer have on your life?

Is there such a thing as a perfect foster carer?

What do foster children need?

What are some of the challenges that you’ve faced as foster carers?

Ready to take the plunge and make a world of difference to a child or young person in your care?

Foster care qualities checklist - Do you have what it takes?

Thinking about becoming a foster carer? Check out our list of essential qualities and see how many you have.

Are you in good health, so you can keep up with the rewarding role of being a foster carer?

Do you have a sense of patience, understanding, maturity, and flexibility?

Do you have a safe, loving home where young people can feel secure?

Can you provide ongoing care that shows love, security, and lasting relationships?

Do you have good interpersonal skills to connect with children and others?

Do you possess all the necessary parenting skills to look after children?

Are you open to learning about the serious issues that can lead children to need care, especially the effects of abuse and neglect?

Are you able to let go if the time comes for families to be reunited?

Do you respect and appreciate cultural differences?

Can you support a child's connections to their family and cultural heritage?

Are you resilient and have the support of family and friends?

Are you prepared to understand how a child's early experiences of care affect their present and future needs?

Are you comfortable to be part of a care team and work openly and cooperatively with everyone involved in a child's life?

Are you able to show empathy and respond sensitively to the needs of a child?

Are you willing to undergo screening checks, assessments, and ongoing training?

Are you single, married, partnered, or in a same-sex relationship, with or without children?

Types of foster care

We offer a variety of foster care options, from full-time placements to short-term stays. Our flexible options are designed to integrate with your lifestyle and time commitments. Here’s how!

Emergency care

Emergency care provides immediate placement for children in urgent need of a safe home, ranging from overnight stays up to two weeks.

Respite care

Respite care offers children and young people short-term stays on week-ends, in school holidays or even just a few hours during the week, giving long-term carers a break, and providing new experiences as well as opportunities for children to form other significant relationships outside their usual environment.

Short-term care

Short-term care aims to offer these children a safe, supportive, and nurturing place to stay while their birth families receive the help they need or until a more permanent living arrangement can be made. This type of care ranges from two weeks up to two years.

Long-term care

When it is not expected that a child will return home to the birth family, the child may stay in care until they reach adulthood.

Specialist care

Specialist care supports children and young people with disabilities or higher and more complex needs, and offers additional training and support for foster carers.

Specific child only care

People who are willing to care for a child with whom they have a pre-existing relationship with. UCSA receives referrals from the Department for Child Protection. (These carers are not approved to provide General Foster Care).

Laura’s story

Hear from Laura, a dedicated foster carer who now has two children in her care.

Laura has made a difference…you can too!

HELP A CHILD TO THRIVE TODAY

Questions on your mind

As you contemplate becoming a foster carer, it’s natural to have numerous questions. We address some of the most frequently asked questions below to help guide you through this important decision-making process.

Is foster care only full-time or are there other care options?

We are seeking compassionate individuals to provide children and young people with a nurturing and secure environment. Whether you can commit to full-time care or just a few hours each month, there are flexible foster care opportunities available that can fit your schedule. To learn more, please complete this short form, and we will reach out to you with further information.

Where do you provide foster care services?

Uniting Country SA provides foster care services in Yorke, Mid-North and Far North South Australia.

What are the qualities of a good foster carer?

Foster carers play a crucial role in our community by providing nurturing and safe environments for children and young people in need. To be an effective foster carer, one should possess the following key qualities:

Good general health: Ensuring physical and mental well-being to meet the demands of caregiving.
Core personal attributes: Demonstrating common sense, maturity, understanding, patience, flexibility, and strong interpersonal skills.
A safe and secure home environment: Creating a home where the child feels safe, secure, and a sense of belonging.
Ongoing and loving care: Offering continuous, loving, and secure care that fosters healthy relationship-building.
Parenting skills: Possessing the necessary skills to care for and nurture a child or young person effectively.
A commitment to learning: Being open to understanding the child or young person’s history and the reasons they have come into care.
Ability to let go: Capable of supporting the child or young person’s transition back to their family when the time is right.
Cultural sensitivity: Respecting and appreciating cultural differences.
Supporting family and cultural connections: Understanding the importance of a child or young person’s connection to their family and cultural heritage, and actively supporting these crucial bonds.
Resilience and support networks: Demonstrating personal resilience and having access to support networks such as family and friends, if needed.
Understanding the impact of early experiences: Recognising how the child or young person’s early experiences of care affect their current and future needs.
Empathy and sensitivity: Responding empathetically and sensitively to the needs of a child or young person.
Willingness for continuous improvement: Committing to screening checks, assessments, and ongoing training to enhance caregiving skills.

Do foster carers have a certain profile?

There is no ‘perfect’ type of foster carer. Whether you’re male or female, single or married, in a same sex relationship, or with or without children, the profile of a foster carer varies significantly. You can be any age, but typically foster carers are aged between 25 and 70 years.

You don’t need to be wealthy or have a big home. You just need to provide a child or young person with a safe and secure environment where they can thrive.

I’m interested in being a foster carer. What’s my next step?

We encourage you to complete this short form here. Upon receiving your information, one of our team members will reach out to you to discuss foster care in greater detail and will arrange to send you a Foster Care Information Pack.

Ready to make a powerful impact on the life of a child or young person?

Matthew’s story

Foster care is incredibly rewarding, but can also be immensely challenging. In Matthew’s story, we hear about the real-world complexities of foster caring, and reflect on the qualities required by foster carers to be successful in their role.