Foster care and respite care
Foster care
What is Foster care?
On any given day there are over 5,000 Victorian children and young people who can't live safely at home, through no fault of their own. Out of home care gives these children the care and support they need in home-based and residential settings. Home-based care is provided by trained and accredited volunteer foster carers.
Good Shepherd Youth & Family Service is one of many community service organisations offering out of home care recruitment, training and placement. In addition, our respite care program provides regular planned care, usually on weekends, to support parents who are socially isolated and can benefit from assistance with the care of their children or young people.
Considering becoming a foster carer?
Good Shepherd Youth & Family Service is now recruiting carers for our foster care and respite care programs across Melbourne's northern and western suburbs. All sorts of people can be foster carers and carers can choose the type of care, length of time and age of children cared for. Find out more.
Who can use Foster care?
Children may need to live in a foster care placement for a variety of reasons and for different periods of time. Most of these placements involve State Government Child Protection and Family Support Services, although a small number may be voluntary.
Children or young people can be in care for a few nights, weeks or years, depending on the circumstances. Children may be any age, culture or religious background, may have special needs or may need to be placed with their siblings.
What does Foster care offer?
Our foster care and respite care programs recruit and train home-based carers, match them with children in need and provide ongoing support and assistance.
How can I find out more about Foster care?
Contact:
Good Shepherd Youth & Family Service
273 Wellington St
Collingwood 3066
T: 03 9270 9351
E: fostercareenquiries@goodshepvic.org.au
Read more about how you can make a difference in their world (PDF 1.65MB)
Share Care Respite Care Program
What is the Share Care Respite Care Program?
Share Care Respite Care provides opportunities for parents (including grandparents and foster carers) to take a regular, planned break or ‘time out' from parenting or caring. Children are cared for overnight for a regular, planned period such as one weekend per month on an ongoing basis. Respite carers are trained, accredited volunteers.
The program has been running since 1983 and merged with Good Shepherd Youth & Family Service in 2006.
Share Care Respite carers needed. Find out more.
Who can use the Share Care Respite Care Program?
The program supports families in the City of Yarra, which includes Collingwood, Richmond, Fitzroy, North Carlton, Abbotsford and Alphington. Participation in the program is voluntary and parents can refer themselves or may be referred by a support worker. Siblings are placed together where possible.
Please note there may be a waiting list for this program.
What does the Share Care Respite Care Program offer?
- A break for parents experiencing crisis or difficulties such as illness, vulnerability or isolation
- new experiences for children in a secure and nurturing environment
- opportunities to share parenting strategies, such as ways of dealing with challenging behaviour
- support to enable more children to remain at home with their families, helping to avoid the need for future intervention.
How can I find out more about the Share Care Respite Care Program?
Good Shepherd Youth & Family Service
273 Wellington St
Collingwood 3066
T: 03 9270 9351
E: fostercareenquiries@goodshepvic.org.au
Read more about how you can make a difference in their world (PDF 1.65MB)
Kids in Focus
What is Kids in Focus?
Kids in Focus is a child and family support program for families where a parent is affected by alcohol or other drug problems. The program is conducted by Odyssey House Victoria in partnership with other services.
Good Shepherd Youth and Family Service facilitate the respite care element of this program.
How can I find out more about Kids in Focus?
Contact:
Good Shepherd Youth & Family Service
273 Wellington St
Collingwood 3066
T: 03 9270 9351
E: fostercareenquiries@goodshepvic.org.au