Foster and Kinship Carer Week

Key points

  • More Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander foster and kinship carers needed
  • Gala Carers dinner at Hilton Hotel on Friday 20 April
  • Carers Morning Tea, Innisfail, 24 April 2018
  • About Foster and Kinship Carers Week
  • About Wuchopperen’s Child Wellbeing Service

Wuchopperen calls on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to become foster and kinship carers

Wuchopperen Health Service Limited, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander foster and kinship carer service for the Cairns region, is asking Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to help look after kids who need alternate care.

Child Wellbeing Manager Anthony Satrick said there was a need for individuals, couples and families to care, nurture and pass on tradition and culture to young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children who are unable to live at home.

‘This Foster and Kinship Carer Week, we are calling on the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community to ring us up and find out more about how you can help our young ones recover, and become healthy, happy and strong,’ Anthony said.

‘Please ring us on 4080 1080 to find out how to become a foster or kinship carer – we provide full training and ongoing support, and you will be making an absolute difference to a young kid’s life. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are seven times more likely to be in the Child Safety system than other Australian kids – by helping out one of these kids, we help break the cycle of displacement, and have a chance to change the future.’

What’s Wuchopperen doing for Foster and Kinship Carer Week?

Carers Recognition Dinner

Hilton Hotel, Cairns

Friday 20 April 2018

Attendees include Wuchopperen Child Wellbeing Service staff, senior managers and Board Chairperson, foster and kinship carers, Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services representatives and local foster and kinship care organisations.

Carers Morning Tea

Senior Citizens Club, Innisfail

Tuesday 24 April 2018

Attendees include Wuchopperen Child Wellbeing Service staff, foster and kinship carers, Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services representatives and local foster and kinship care organisations.  Cardwell – based Girringun Aboriginal Corporation has kindly donated a gift for each carer.

About Foster and Kinship Carer Week

Foster and Kinship Carer Week runs from 22 to 29 April 2018.

The week is an opportunity for everyone to acknowledge the selfless work carried out by foster and kinship carers, who find room in their hearts and homes for children and young people.

During the week, we say thank you to Queensland’s 5,000 foster and kinship carers who provide a safe, loving and stable home to more than 8,000 vulnerable children and young people.

About Wuchopperen’s Child Wellbeing Service

Wuchopperen’s Child Wellbeing service works with the Department of Communities’ Child Safety Services in matters involving Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children.

It provides two major services – Recognised Entity (RE) and Culturally Appropriate Foster and Kinship Care Service (CAFAKCS). Child Wellbeing services are available in Cairns, Innisfail and the Atherton Tablelands in collaboration with the Child Safety Service Centres in each area.

Culturally Appropriate Foster and Kinship Care Service (CAFAKCS)

CAFAKCS recruits and supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander carers to provide placements for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children requiring out of home care in accordance with the Aboriginal Child Placement Principle.

CAFAKCS:

  • Finds, assesses, recruits and trains Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to become carers;
  • Work with the Department of Communities, Child Safety Placement Services Unit to identify compatible placement for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children who require out of home placements; and
  • Provides support to our registered carers and assist with effective communication between them and the Department of Child Safety.

Recognised Entity (RE)

The Recognised Entity program:

  • Provides family information and cultural advice to the Department of Communities’ Child Safety Services through participation in the decision making process when a significant decision is required regarding an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander child including investigations, Children’s Court matters and placements;
  • Provides advice about cultural protocols (such as who to talk to within a family and/or community) and placements;
  • Ensures families have input into decisions about what happens to their children involved in the Child Safety system;
  • Helps families understand what is happening;
  • Assists with communication between families and the Department of Communities’ Child Safety Services; and
  • Assists families to make plans for their children.