Types of foster care

Fostering does not have to be full time. Respite Carers look after a child on weekend or for a few days while their regular carer has a break. It can be difficult for a child to go to different people so we try to arrange for the child always to go to the same Respite Carer so they can get to know each other.

Sometimes, we need to find a safe place for a child to stay at very short notice. Emergency placements last for a few nights, to a few weeks. Sometimes such placements are needed in the middle of the night or on weekends.

Short term placements can last from a few months to two years. These arrangements are made for children for whom the plan is to return home to their family. Often foster carers assist the child’s family to make the changes they need to be able to safely resume care of their child.

Pathways to Stability is Key Assets program providing intensive support over 12 – 18 months. The aim is to transition children with complex emotional and behavioural needs, who have been in residential care arrangements, into a highly supported fostering environment to prepare them for permanence through either reunification to family, long-term fostering or preparation for independence.

It isn’t always possible for foster children to be reunited with their birth families. So they’ll need to stay in foster care until they reach the age of 18 years. This is the age young people usually leave care but many states are now offering them option to remain in care for a few years longer so that they are mature enough and have the skills and supports required for them to safely live independently.

Foster Carers, under some circumstances, can apply in compliance with state legislation to become the child’s Guardian.

Key Assets are only able to offer the fostering to open adoption service in NSW. Our vision for open adoption is that all children and young people are supported to achieve their full potential and grow into happy and healthy adults. Open adoption means that the child knows and maintains contact with their families.

Kinship care is where a family member or significant person in the child or young person’s life becomes their Carer. Kinship Care is the preferred option if children or young people cannot be restored to their birth parents. Kinship Carers are offered the same support as Foster Carers but are only authorised to provide care for specific children or young people.

Being taken from home and family is very traumatic for children. This trauma is exacerbated if they are also separated from the siblings. So we try to keep brothers and sisters together when finding foster families. Sibling Carers provide care for two or more related children. Although we provide sibling care in all states, Key Assets in Tasmania specialise in this type of care.