Being a foster carer is more than just caring for a child; it’s about the joy and happiness they bring into the home.
Foster carer Liz Lindner stands by this.
Eight years ago, Ms Lindner was left with an empty house after her children moved out of home and after hearing about the need for foster carers in the region on a radio ad, she decided to pursue her calling.
Ms Lindner started foster caring to give back to the community, but her story goes further than wanting to lend a hand.
“I grew up in a busy family, one of nine kids,” she said.
“Our family home was always very open; everyone was welcome in the house if they needed a bed or something.
“I lost my mum at a young age, and my brother took me in for a few years.
“I have nieces and nephews that have struggling health issues, and the family has been able to get respite for them, and I thought it’s helped them a lot in caring for the kids, and I thought I could do that for another family.”
Her time as a carer has taught her a lot in her personal life and as a foster carer, but the most important thing for her is ensuring the kids feel safe, loved and happy.
“If you can get them to be happy within themselves, that’s the goal,” she said.
“These kids have been taken from their family, so I always say to them, you’re coming to have a holiday with me, this is a holiday house — this isn’t their forever home, they’re just coming for a holiday.”
Ms Lindner is one of many carers in the Goulburn Valley.
Christina Scott, the case manager for the Goulburn and Ovens Murray regions for Life Without Barriers, said it took a particular person to be a foster carer.
“Wanting to be a foster carer is a heart decision, committing to being a foster carer is a ‘head decision’, caring for a child is both,” she said.
Ms Scott said applications to become a foster parent usually took up to 12 months, as matching the right foster parent with a child or young person was vital.
“We support people in their transition to becoming a carer by providing them with as much information as we can before they enter care and then being there every step of the way during the experience,” she said.
“Foster caring looks different for each person, so we need to be able to support people in a variety of ways.
“In Shepparton, we are establishing a program called Mockingbird to bring together families with kids in care to create an extended family network that promotes connection and shared understanding between foster parents.”
Foster care comes in different forms — a person can be a full-time carer, or they could just be doing respite care for a period of time.
To learn more about foster care and the application process, contact Life Without Barriers Shepparton via carers@lwb.org.au or phone on 1300 592 227.