My Forever Family NSW supports, trains and advocates for foster and kinship carers, guardians and adoptive parents who bring stability to the lives of children and young people in care. There remains a critical shortage of carers in Batemans Bay and 16,160 children living in out-of-home care in the state of NSW.

To find and inform potential new carers in Murrumbidgee region, My Forever Family NSW will hold a free online Becoming a Carer Information Session for local residents on Tuesday 29th March from 7pm-8pm. 

The session will raise awareness about the critical need for more people to become involved in caring for children currently living in the state care system.

The Department of Communities and Justice NSW data for 2020 shows that 12 children and young people per 1000 are living in out of home care in the Murrumbidgee region compared with nine in 1000 across the whole of NSW.

These are children and young people who can’t live safely with their family and need a safe and nurturing place to call home.

The session will raise urgent need for carer for siblings groups in the Murrumbidgee region, to ensure that siblings groups in care can thrive and continue to form strong bonds with their families and community.

The information session will inform potential carers of the different options of care available and will be an opportunity to ask questions of local agencies, be introduced to the services of My Forever Family NSW and hear the first-hand experiences of current carers.

Experienced long-term carer Carly* has formed strong bonds with children she’s cared for and is passionate about keeping siblings together. “It’s an amazing experience to wake up each day to see the smiles on their faces. To be able to open your life and your home to a child in need is just incredible. There are no words to describe it.”

“When we signed up to be carers we didn’t even think of fostering one child. We’ve always stepped into it wanting to care for sibling groups. To be able to keep them together was our dream. We come from a large family, so the idea of splitting children up from their siblings was not even a thought for us. They all need to be together.

Speaking on the unique experience of caring for siblings Carly remarked, “They still have the same sibling rivalry that any other child has, and they also have somebody that is going through the same story as they are. It’s very rewarding, just to be able to see them in a loving, stable home that they deserve. Keeping siblings together we can also ensure a family is able to go back to the same home together at the end of the day, and that’s once less pressure that they have to go through.”

While there will be a focus on information about caring for sibling groups and other children in the local community, there are many different types of care options available to suit individual and family circumstances, all of which will be covered.

Michelle Stacpoole, My Forever Family NSW Spokesperson talks about the significance of the program for the local community. “There are many children like Noah, Abby, Alofa and Kristy-lee right here in our local community. Being a carer for kids is not a one size fits all, and there are many ways you can help children thrive. This session is an opportunity to ask questions about becoming a carer in an open and relaxed setting, and to chat directly with those who have lived experience as carers. It’s a chance for people to considering becoming carers now to understand the next steps and we also welcome people who are considering this option for the future to come along and find out more.”

For more information on this special online information session please go to www.eventsforchange.org.au/infosession

For all media enquiries or to request an interview, please contact:

Marketing and Communications team at media@myforeverfamily.org.au

* Names have been changed