Every morning Christina* and Jason* awake to Lachlan’s* little footsteps running down the hallway...
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Wesley Dalmar Foster Care
Open your home to a child who needs love
Become a foster carer. Start your journey today.
Become a foster carer and help change the life of a child in need
Being a foster carer can be incredibly rewarding. Whether you give support during a crisis, offer a safe place temporarily or provide a loving home long term, as a foster carer you can make a positive difference to young people’s lives.
Types of care you can provide as a foster carer
Emergency care
Give a child or young person somewhere safe to stay at a time of crisis. This care is usually at short notice and can range from one day up to four weeks.
Short-term care
Give a child or young person a temporary place to stay until they can return safely to their birth family or find an alternative permanent home. This care ranges from four weeks up to two years.
Permanent or long-term care
Care for a child or young person who is unable to live with their birth family and needs long-term support until they reach independence.
Specialist care
Care for a child or young person who has high and complex needs, such as challenging behaviors, disability, mental health issues or being part of a large sibling group.
Kinship care
Care that's given by relatives, family friends or someone the child or young person already has a relationship with, offering the option to become a legal guardian.
Respite care
Give foster carers a much-needed break by offering flexible care for a day, a couple of weeks, school holidays or one weekend a month.
Can I be a foster carer?
Our foster carers come from all walks of life and can:
Our foster carers need to be:
- Be single or have a partner
- Be from any culture or religion
- Have their own children
- Own or rent their home
- Be working or not, studying or retired.
Our foster carers need to be:
- Healthy
- Over 21
- Willing to participate in training and the assessment process
- An Australian citizen or a permanent resident
- Willing to undergo background checks.
See if we operate in your area
Steps to becoming a foster carer
Step 1
Have a chat
Call us or attend an online information session to learn about fostering.
Step 2
Home visit
We’ll discuss if your family and home are a good fit and how to apply.
Step 3
Complete training
Learn strategies to support a child or young person who’s faced trauma.
Step 4
Assessment interview
We’ll have deeper discussions to determine if your family is suited to fostering.
Step 5
Become a carer
If your application is successful, you’ll be matched with a child or young person.
Our commitment
We’re committed to placing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people with foster carers who are connected to their Community and Culture.
We’re committed to the NSW Government’s 10-year plan to transfer the care management of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people to Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations (ACCOs).
We’re partnering with local ACCOs and believe they are best equipped to strengthen connections between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people and their kin, community and culture.
Why choose Wesley Dalmar Foster Care?
For more than 130 years, we’ve been putting children and young people’s interests first. Our history of caring continually drives our commitment to help children and young people have safe, stable, loving and nurturing places to call home. When you choose to foster with Welsey Dalmar, know that we’ll be alongside you every step of the way to help you provide a young person with lasting support.
If you have a genuine interest in caring for children, consider becoming a foster carer with us.
How we support our foster carers
24/7 Support
On-call support day or night to help you in a crisis.
Ongoing Training
Access foster care training and support.
Regular case manager support
Monthly supportive visits from your case manager.
Personalised care services
Get referrals to medical specialists, tutors or other Wesley Mission support services.
Resources for student education
Access to educational and scholarship opportunities.
Financial support
Receive an allowance to help cover the costs of caring for a child or young person.
Peer support
Connect with other foster carers in your area.
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A break when you need it
Access regular respite to support your wellbeing.
Support from a chaplain
Receive emotional and spiritual support when you need it.
Adopt a child with Wesley Dalmar
We believe all children deserve a loving and safe place to call home. Wesley Dalmar operates in NSW to give children most in need a permanent new home with caring parents who will love and support them for the rest of their lives.
Become a Wesley Aunty or Uncle
If you’re not ready to become a foster carer, consider becoming a Wesley Aunty or Uncle mentor. You’ll be paired with a child or young person who has faced difficulties in life and needs a supportive role model.
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