How Can The Foster Care System Meet The Needs Of Children And Those Who Care Or Might Be Prepared To Care For Them?


Almost 20,000 Australian children are living in foster care. As the demand for foster care grows, the number of carers for children who have been removed from their families is in decline. The foster care system, almost unchanged in a century, is in desperate need of reform, as one journalist investigates. The most important reason why Foster Care needs to be reformed is because it does not effectively serve children and youth. What do you think LiveTribers? How can the Foster Care System better meet the needs of these children?

Posted by on 23 Jul 2021

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  • [0] [0]
    MS

    I knew a few of those kids when I was growing up. If stupid parents did their job of properly parenting their own kids then we would not have thousands in care. It becomes the state issue then with more money spent on this problem.

    Posted by MS on 16 Nov 2023
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  • [0] [1]
    June

    the current system is overly draconian and bureaucratic. It doesn't work easy for both foster carers and the children in need. Same happen to children adoption process, it is an extremely lengthy emotionally exhaustive for applicants and the children. Even celebrities in Australia have criticised this before and they chose to adopt children in USA.

    Posted by June on 27 Jul 2021
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  • [1] [0]
    Tanya

    Education! if all foster carers could be invited to undergo some kind of (paid) trauma informed training / therapy/ authentic relating and communication skills it would be so valuable! and the children could get the equivalent perhaps they could do some parts of the training together to introduce a common language for resolving conflict and healing trauma within the house. Also im not sure if there are support groups for the carers /children or a mentor program but sometimes people need to see and example of how to do things right before they can do it..we are all experiential learners but i feel some kind of a community support network is vital if past foster children (grown up) have or create a mentor or buddy program to participate in intergrating children into thier new homes. 1 have something to aspire to that gives meaning and purpose to thier lives 2. have a say in how the system is set up it i s much more likely to provide for the needs of those still in care 3 provides hope and role models also just to name a few ideas!

    Posted by Tanya on 26 Jul 2021
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  • [1] [0]
    kim

    Strict monitoring and selection criteria is of the utmost importance for safety of these vulnerable children. The age of carers should not be relevant unless very aged as this is of concern for the care of kids. Carers need to be fully financially compensated and ensure this money goes primarily to the care of children.

    Posted by kim on 26 Jul 2021
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  • [1] [1]
    grandmaG

    The system needs to relax the criteria including the reducing the max age. There also needs to be accountability of their representatives when reporting to be truthful and transparent.

    Posted by grandmaG on 26 Jul 2021
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  • [3] [2]
    mact

    Our selfish western society with its 'no fault' divorce, lack of respect for the family unit and lack of personal responsibility has contributed to the outlined issue. One could add to this lack of basic respect for a higher authority's commandments but of course our permissive choices would poohoo this basic truth Humans reap what we sow, good and bad! I wonder do we ever learn?

    Posted by mact on 24 Jul 2021
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