The Department of Communities has launched a Statement of Commitment to Foster and Family Carers to coincide with the recent National Child Protection Week.
The statement is part of the Foster Care Refresh project, a joint collaboration between the Department of Communities, the Foster Care Association of WA, the Commissioner of Children and Young People, and the Child and Family Alliance WA.
The project aims to better understand the lived experience of carers and the support they need.
In a statement, the Department said that during consultations, foster carers delivered a number of suggestions of how it could improve the foster care experience.
“These included better communication; a consistent approach to case management; a more responsive and inclusive system in terms of planning and decision-making; greater access to in-home support for children with complex needs, and better access to health and educational services,” the statement said.
“One of the actions to come out of that feedback was the development of the Statement of Commitment to Foster and Family Carers.”
The Department said the statement outlined how it could support effective partnerships with carers.
“The statement acknowledges that carers should be valued, respected, informed, supported and consulted,” it said.
“It also outlines the roles and responsibilities of the major stakeholders — foster and family carers, the Department, out-of-home-care funded services, the Foster Care Association and the Child and Family Alliance.”
It said building strong partnerships with foster and family carers would ultimately lead to improved outcomes for children in care.
