Helping carers find a voice 

We believe your voice needs to be heard.  With your feedback we can better develop our programs and make real changes in our system. Our Carer Reference Groups (CRGs) are an opportunity for you, as authorised carers, to have a say about how to improve the experience of being a carer.

CRGs promote a culture of continuous improvement for foster, relative and kinship carers and the organisations that support them.

If you are an authorised foster, guardian, grandparent or kinship carer, we’d love to hear what you have to say. Join your local CRG and help us find ways to improve:

  • carer support
  • recruitment
  • retention
  • advocacy

Local voices

Your nearest CRG isn’t too far away. There are seven CRGs in NSW – one in each Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ, formerly FACS) district of NSW. Members have an opportunity to provide feedback on issues that are relevant to carers in their own region.

Collaboration

We believe in working together to achieve our goals. To support teamwork and collaboration, each CRG is co-chaired by a carer and a representative from a local foster care agency. The groups include up to twelve carers, as well as staff from foster care agencies, DCJ and My Forever Family NSW.

This collaboration gives CRG members a deeper understanding of issues, and how to make positive changes.

How we work with Carer Reference Groups

My Forever Family NSW is dedicated to securing the best support for our carers. In light of this, we oversee each of the CRGs, keeping them connected with developments in the out-of-home care sector and ensuring members have an opportunity to discuss any issues that impact carers.

We also act as an advocate for the CRGs, escalating issues raised within each group and bringing them to the attention of DCJ, the Office of the Children’s Guardian or the NSW Ombudsman (depending on which is the most appropriate in relation to the issue).

How do I join a Carer Reference Group?

If you’re a carer in NSW, we’d love to hear from you. To make sure everyone’s voice is heard, we hope to have a diverse range of carers involved in our CRGs. Whatever your circumstances or cultural background, we want to hear from you.  

Find out more about the groups and what’s involved by downloading the CRG Terms of Reference.

  1. Are you interested in having your voice heard?  Please complete the expression of interest form or contact us at enquiries@myforeverfamily.org.au for a paper-based form. 
  2. Once we’ve received your expression of interest, one of our team will get in touch to talk about your application.