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Media release – Demand grows for foster carers

Canberra’s children are increasingly housed in out-of-home-care and in desperate need of foster parents, Canberra charity Galilee has said in its recent call for more foster carers.

“Between 1998 and 2008, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare have reported yearly increases in the number of children in out-of-home care and Canberra’s children are no exception to those figures,” Galilee acting CEO Claire Roennfeldt said today. “Canberra children are frequently placed into care due to emotional abuse or neglect that tends to be reported by teachers, health professionals and the police.”

Emotional abuse includes rejection of the child, terrorising, corrupting, scapegoating, verbal abuse, and exposure to domestic violence. Neglect is the continued failure to provide a child with the basics needed for their proper growth and psychological, intellectual and physical development. Examples are food, shelter, medical care and adequate supervision. Children also need stimulation, nutrition and nurturing care.

“Long term consequences of chronic neglect are serious: depression, low self-esteem, apathy, delayed cognitive, physical and language development, social withdrawal,” Ms Roennfeldt said.

“Foster Carers play an important role in the care of children by providing nurturing, devoted care in a safe and consistent environment. They are ordinary people doing the extra-ordinary to provide children with care that creates futures.”

Galilee, is recruiting Foster Carers to provide care for Canberra’s most disadvantaged babies and children. Foster Carers attend a Certificate IV course which teaches many aspects of child development and management. They learn the roles played by the Office of Children, Youth and Family Support, Galilee and Foster Parents in providing children and babies with quality care.

Galilee regularly holds Information Sessions for people interested in finding out more about Foster Caring. Call Galilee on (02) 6290 2191 for more information or to make a time for a personal chat. Help Galilee meet the ever increasing need for Canberra’s children to be cared for in out-of-home situations.