Foster carers should be understanding of the complex feelings a child or young person may have when placed in their care.
Foster carers play a vital role in our community, providing a safe, stable and nurturing environment for children and young people in out-of-home-care.
This page provides an overview of the many supports and resources available to help foster carers in their important role.
Key resources
Victorian handbook for foster carers
The Victorian handbook for foster carers contains useful information and tools to help carers support the children and young people in their care.
Victorian foster carer charter
The Victorian foster carer charter (the charter) helps foster carers understand their rights and responsibilities and helps those who work with foster carers to understand their responsibilities to provide support. The charter is included in Chapter one of the Victorian handbook for foster carers.
Helping carers helping kids podcast series
Helping carers helping kids is a podcast series that provides additional information and insights on a range of topics to help foster and kinship carers in their important role.
Supports for carers
Your agency
Foster care agencies are responsible for recruiting, assessing, training, supporting and supervising foster carers. They also support children and young people placed in home-based care and play a critical role in the development and implementation of plans for their care.
Your agency is the primary contact for you for support, information and advice.
Foster Care Association of Victoria
The Foster Care Association of Victoria is the peak body representing foster carers. The association offers a carer information and support service, an independent referral and assistance point for foster carers.
To find out more, visit the Foster Care Association of Victoria website to complete and submit an online enquiry form or call 9416 4292.
Client support funding framework and care allowance
The Victorian and Commonwealth governments provide a range of financial and other supports to assist carers in meeting the needs of children and young people in their care.
Visit the Support for home-based carers in Victoria page on this site for more information.
Training
Training provides the opportunity for carers to update skills and knowledge, meet other carers and share ideas.
The Carer Kinship and Foster Care Education strategy (Carer KaFE) provides free training opportunities to carers across the state on a range of topics.
Information on upcoming training opportunities
- Visit the Carer KaFE website - carers can register interest in attending a range of free training sessions through the online calendar
- You can also speak with your foster care agency
Managing issues and making a complaint
Foster care agencies and the department are committed to working with carers to resolve issues and concerns. Foster carers have the right to raise an issue, provide a compliment or make a complaint about a decision or a situation relating to the care of a child or young person in their care.
Carer advisory groups
Four carer advisory groups were established in Victoria in 2015 to improve communication between foster and kinship carers, our department, foster care agencies and peak bodies, and to contribute to service improvements in out-of-home care. The groups meet quarterly and membership to the group is for a period of 18 months.
Information about the outcomes of the groups is available on the Foster Care Association of Victoria website and newsletter.
If you have any ideas for the carer advisory group in your division, or if you are interested in participating, please contact the Foster Care Association of Victoria.