As a foster carer, you will be required to enter into a number of agreements to ensure the best interests of children in your care. These will set out legal obligations, responsibilities, and best practice frameworks. The key to a successful placement however lies in the quality of the relationship between the carer and the agency case worker.
This document has been developed as a tool to clarify expectations and encourage open communication when establishing the foundations for a positive working relationship. It should be considered by the carer in advance to enable reflection on past experiences. This might include what’s been useful with previous workers, what hasn’t worked so well, what you would like done differently, etc. Further, it is essential that this document is reviewed regularly and within agreed timelines by the carer and agency staff.
Guidelines have also been established by your foster care agency and in the Departmental Child Protection Manual, setting out expectations in relation to communication and information sharing. Carers should raise any issues/concerns with their agency worker in the first instance. They also have the option of speaking to the team leader, and subsequently, to management, if they feel their concerns have not been addressed by the worker.
Carers can request assistance from the FCAV if they feel that management has been unresponsive to their concerns.
The Foster Care Association of Victoria (FCAV) has developed the CARE Principle which is intended as a scaffold for conversation and reflective practice across the out of home care sector.
It was borne from acknowledging the need for attention and priority to be given to the wellbeing and CARE of volunteer caregivers, whilst highlighting some fundamental principles of practice which seek to both recognise the value of carers, as well as enhance their overall experience in the sector. It is a tool to guide practice and using the word CARE to focus on key factors to inform and enhance carer service delivery - as a way of engaging in and maintaining respectful and productive working relationships.
The foster CARE Principle is a tool that can be utilised by all key participants in the sector (including carers themselves) and utilised directly by the FCAV to assist in creating constructive dialogue with sector colleagues, relating to its application in working directly with and supporting carers.
