Baptcare is appealing to families and individuals to consider becoming a foster carer.
Anyone can apply to be a foster carer, so long as they have the qualities needed to look after children who cannot live with their parents. There is no maximum age limit for being a foster carer.
The type of support you offer is up to you – it could be 24/7 care for a short or long period or flexible care as needed such as part-time respite care to relieve other carers on a regular weekend, or emergency care in times of family crisis.
Every night, five children go without foster care in Melbourne’s north and west regions because there are not enough foster carers available.
These five children are instead forced to live in residential facilities in our community.
You can change this alarming figure. The experience of foster caring is deeply rewarding – just ask Pam Lawrence, one of the many inspiring foster carers at Baptcare.
The amazing mother of three and her husband, Joe, have fostered 228 children over the past 23 years and they do not plan to stop any time soon, recently taking in a six month old baby.
In September this year, Pam received a Pride of Australia Award in the ‘care and compassion’ category for her commitment to helping kids
in need.
Although Pam and Joe have naturally felt the challenges of raising their own three children, the couple knew they could extend their home and love to vulnerable children.
“We read a school newsletter about becoming a foster carer and I thought we could give it a go. We wanted to make a difference and felt that together we could,” said Pam.
If you would like to know more about becoming a foster carer, please contact 03 9373 3800. Baptcare’s foster care program is located in the Brimbank and Moonee Valley regions of Melbourne.