Since 2002, the number of children and young people in out-of-home care in Victoria has grown by 5.3 per cent per annum. A key contributor to the growth in the number of children and young people in care in Victoria has been the increasing length of care placements.
“There has been a continuing rise in demand for foster care placements in the last 12 months and we need more people in Geelong and surrounding areas, such as Colac, to consider becoming foster carers,” said Glastonbury CEO, Mr Sandy Morrison.
“Foster care programs provide safe and nurturing homes for children and young people when they are unable to live with their own families” Mr. Morrison said. He further added that “Foster Care Week is not only a time to acknowledge, highlight and celebrate the work of our wonderful foster carers, and those involved with other agencies, but to also raise awareness in our community for the need for more foster carers”.
Foster Care Week is commencing on 15 September 2014 and Glastonbury is actively encouraging potential foster care households to make contact with them to learn more about foster care and how local people can provide a local child with a safe home. “We are urging potential foster carers to take the first step and contact us now to learn more about foster care and particularly about the training and 24-hour support that foster carers receive,” Mr Morrison explained.
“We currently have a number of children who need foster care and yet we simply do not have enough foster carers to match them to” said Mr Morrison. “Foster carers come from all walks of life, backgrounds, ages and experiences, and anyone who is over 21 years of age can apply to become a foster carer,” he said.
Please go to www.glastonbury.org.au and follow the prompts to learn more about how you can become a foster carer.
For further information, Glastonbury Media Contacts:
Anna Webb/Amber Pett Tel: (03) 5222 6911
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