High costs and inadequate government funding are contributing to a critical shortage of volunteer foster carers in Australia.

By LAURA MOSS

When NSW residents Martin* and his partner Natalie* found out they couldn’t conceive children they were disappointed, but still not prepared to give up on the dream of starting a family.

So after having exhausted all other options – including IVF – they decided to take on the challenging role of foster carers.

“You have to be prepared to put everything down and change routine very quickly,” Martin said.

“It’s really no different to having children of your own, you have to make certain sacrifices and changes.”

But it is the financial sacrifices in particular that are threatening the viability of foster care placements in Australia.

Martin and Natalie receive $400 dollars a fortnight from the Australian Government for the long-term care of a four-year-old girl, which helps cover the costs of food, clothing, water and electricity.

“The process leading up to becoming an authorised carer is quite in-depth and checking how financially stable you are is part of the criteria,” Martin said.

“The more children you take care of, the more money you get … [but] I can see why some people have difficulties taking care of these children, it all depends on how you are situated financially.”

Nationally, over 39,000 children were in out-of-home care as of June 2012 and of those, nearly half were in foster care.

A 2002 University of NSW study showed that the cost of caring for children in foster care is, on average, 50 per cent higher than for children not in care, and according to Foster Care Association (FCA) Victoria’s Alistair Perkins, the state has the lowest level of financial support for carers in the country.

“[There are] huge structural issues with the way carers are supported,” he said.

“It’s pretty hard to attract people when they end up with empty wallets and holes in their walls”.

Australian Foster Care Association treasurer Helen Falconer says foster carers would spend more on the children than the foster care payment.

“The allowance the state departments provide is considered a partial reimbursement and is tax free,” she said.

“However, this varies from state to state, as does any additional funds to assist specifically with medical or educational costs … it’s not enough.”

Mr Perkins agreed, saying the low financial compensation foster carers received was leading to an enormous shortage of carers across the state, which was in turn “compromising the kind of placements that are available”.

“About seven out of every 100 enquires make it through to become accredited. However, 60 per cent drop out immediately when they realise the financial loss,” he said.

“At the moment it’s about finding [any] bed for the child, rather than the right bed.

“The Government is removing children from dangerous environments and then putting them into even more dysfunctional situations.”

Australian foster agency Key Assets’ NSW state director Steve Jacques said there was also a “desperate shortage” of foster carers able to provide emergency care.

“If a carer is authorised to care for children in an emergency, then the chances are, once they become accredited they will be placed with a child immediately,” he said.

“We’ve had experiences where a carer has been authorised one day and had a child placed with them the next.”

The 2013 Reforming the Foster Care System in Australia report by the University of New South Wales and the Berry Street community organisation notes that foster carers “are required to deliver highly personalised care within a professional framework”.

The report suggests that a professional model of care – of the kind gaining increasing recognition in parts of the US and Europe – would make the role of foster parent a more viable option for those who want to care for vulnerable children.

Mr Perkins said  a professional model would be “extremely useful” for children with particularly acute needs, but was tied down by bureaucracy.

“The main reason we don’t already have a professional system in place is because of a stalemate between state and federal governments,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Jacques said it was important that foster carers were “acknowledged for the significant contribution they make to the child protection system”.

“They are the unsung heroes of our community,” he said.

“Without them, we would have a very different child protection system.”

AFCA Treasurer Helen Falconer compares being a carer to “living in a fishbowl”.

“You are being judged by child protection workers, foster care agency workers, the birth family, the school and even your own neighbours,” she said.

“You are expected to be a perfect parent to your own children, plus those in your care. You do the best you can and that’s all you can do.”

Just two weeks after becoming accredited foster carers, Martin and Natalie were given their first child.

“When they first come into your home, they’re completely torn,” Martin said.

“They are scared and very unsure … you can see some of them have had a very hard life.”

“It’s so nice to see them become more confident over time. Soon enough, their personality comes out and you are able to watch them grow.”

*Names have been changed for privacy reasons.