Restoration Foster Carer

Restoration Foster Care is aimed at supporting children and teenagers return to their families, if safe and in the best interests of the child or young person. So, whilst all options are explored for children to return home safely, they need short to medium-term care in a safe, stable and nurturing home environment.

Children and teenagers, aged between the ages of 0 – 17 years old, can be with Restoration Carers for a few months to two years. There is a strong focus on restoring children and young people with their families by strengthening and building on their family relationships whilst in care.

Birth family, parents, or guardians will receive support to improve their ability to care for their child or teenager. The child or young person’s safety, welfare and wellbeing always come first.

If returning home or living with family is not in the child’s or teenagers’ best interests, other options for long-term care will be explored so they can have a home where they can heal, learn and grow.

Children and teenagers in need of out-of-home care come into care through no fault of their own and are from all walks of life and different cultural backgrounds. However most come from complex situations and have experienced some form of trauma, loss or grief and may not have received the care, nurture, love and support they need to thrive.

Being a Restoration Foster Carer comes with a range of responsibilities, and unique challenges. However, the rewards can far outweigh the challenges and there are some very specific rewards that come from providing a healing safe environment to a child or teenager including becoming an integral part of their life story, being a positive role model, advocate, and support for them as well as being able to demonstrate the foundations of safe, healthy and trusting relationships.

The Benefits

• Become an integral and highly valued member of our Care Team and foster care family.
• Receive a tax-free allowance to support the day-to-day needs of the child or teenager in your care.
• Receive comprehensive training and ongoing learning opportunities.
• Receive personalised support from a dedicated Care Team including a Carer Support and Development Caseworker, Child and Family Caseworker, Education, NDIS and Cultural Consultants and Therapeutic Specialists.
• Access to 24/7 on-call support in the case of emergency assistance and support outside of general business hours.
• Opportunities for Carers to socialise, network, share their experiences and access peer support. 
• Being a Restoration Foster Carer can be hugely rewarding and life-changing, not only for the child or young person in care, but for the Carer themselves, their family and support network.
• Application, assessment and approval process usually takes between 3 to 6 months and includes probity checks, assessment interviews and training.

Who can become a Restoration Foster Carer?

We welcome applications from people regardless of gender, culture, ethnic and religious backgrounds. Young or old, with or without children, single people, de facto and married couples; everyone is different and brings their unique experiences to this important role.

There are no upper age limits to become a Carer; you need to be older than 18 years old, be fit and healthy and able to care for a child or teenager in your care.

If you have the desire to provide a safe, supportive, caring home-based environment for children or young people who truly need it and are able to open your heart and home, you can become a Foster Carer.

CatholicCare wants Foster Carers who can bring kindness, respect, resilience, patience and compassion into the lives of children and teenagers who need it the most. Can you be the one person to make a difference to the life of a child or young person in need?

Additional Information

CatholicCare Social Service Hunter Manning is a child safe organisation, committed to the protection of children and has zero-tolerance of any abuse of children. All volunteers are required to undergo a National Police Check, a Community Services Check and retain a valid Working with Children Check and comply with our Child Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct.