Jess and Ben have always felt the desire to take on the role of foster carers; it was something they discussed even before the birth of their first child. Years later, the idea of extending their family and becoming foster parents became a reality with the support from their case worker at Fostering Young Lives.

The Fostering Young Lives Program provides foster care placements across Sydney for children and young people from birth to 18 years of age. For Jess and Ben, their journey started with submitting a form and a meeting with the team of qualified staff.

“We initially contacted Fostering Young Lives at The Benevolent Society and put forward an expression of interest. The process was well set out and it was nice to meet people in the agency who we would see on a regular basis”, Jess said.

Jess and Ben to this day remain foster carers through The Fostering Young Lives Program and are supported by a case worker who they see once a month. The couple believe that it is possible for anyone to take on extra duties with the right support and space.

“Having a positive adult who is interested in them and values them is so important and it’s what keeps us going. What drives me to continue being a foster carer is the fact that the need is always there”, Jess said.

Image: Foster carers, Jess and Ben.

There are currently over 15,000 children who need a safe place to call home and only 9,000 kinship foster carers with this set to grow. There are many reasons why children come into foster care with many experiencing violence in their homes, poverty, emotional or severe neglect and even abuse.

Ben admits being a foster carer can at first be challenging, yet it is rewarding with moments of self-reflection.

“I think the person I was before we did foster caring is completely different to the person I am now. You grow a lot, you reflect a lot and it makes you a far better person through the lessons you learn and take onboard”.

Jess also talks about the family dynamic having additional children in the household and the feelings of joy celebrating moments like their foster child scoring a goal playing soccer or receiving an award at school.

“Our two girls get quite attached to the young kids that come and stay. It also adds a new level of liveliness to the household. Seeing them trying things for the first time like a type of food or playing a sport or participating in school activities is a beautiful thing”.

There are many types of foster care options that can suit all circumstances including immediate or crisis care, short to medium term care, long term care and respite care. For Jess and Ben, they have always felt supported by their case worker to ensure foster caring aligns with their other commitments.

“We always want to make sure it’s the right timing for our family and The Benevolent Society are so understanding when we are unable to take a child due to external circumstances.”

Fostering Young Lives provide ongoing training and support with resources readily available to ensure carers feel confident throughout their journey. Foster Carers can expect to receive regular home meetings, financial support and specialist training and are also encouraged to engage in free counselling and on-call 24/7 support throughout their foster caring journey.

For Jess, she believes even just the smallest amount of time being a foster carer can have a positive impact on all areas of a child’s life from their schooling, health and wellbeing and can even provide them the right access to services to assist with their growth and development.

“It’s not a forever thing if you don’t want it to be. It’s something to give a go knowing that you’re helping to be part of the solution. Although it can be just for a moment in time, that time is crucial for them to get the care and protection they need and will make such a difference to the rest of their lives.”

Kathleen Reedy Child and Family Practitioner at Fostering Young Lives says that anyone can become a foster carer.

“We accept carers from all walks of life. We believe that all kinds of children need all kinds of carers. You can be single, married, employed or retired”.

Listen in on about Jess and Ben's fostering experience below!

For more information, or to submit an expression of interest, visit https://www.benevolent.org.au/campaigns/fostering-young-lives/fyl or contact us directly on [email protected] or 1800 236 762.