Foster Care Network – November

The Foster Care Network has continued to build a united response to the growing crisis within Victorian foster care, with our most recent meeting looking at desperately needed funding model reforms.

It is clear that neither agencies nor foster care households receive adequate resourcing to fulfil their care responsibilities, so the group has been exploring alternative models that would better meet the changing needs of this particularly vulnerable group of kids.

In late-November MacKillop hosted the network, where Anita Pell led a conversation around Berry Street’s proposed foster care program model. This initiated a group discussion amongst the 27 agency and peak body representatives present, which will be formalised into a coordinated strategy before the end of 2013.

We thank all foster care agencies for their ongoing support of the network. Our best chance to make meaningful progress on these critical issues is with a unified approach, and this group is already building a strong stance on the main problems that limit the capacity of our foster care system.

All representatives present have demonstrated great passion for removing the barriers to delivering adequate and appropriate care to kids in care, and we will continue to do all we can to ensure their needs are met.