Support and resources

Caring for kids: A guide for foster, relative and kinship carers

Caring for kids has been updated and is now available online. The online version is fully searchable and makes it easier to find support information quickly and while on the go. Visit the Caring for kids website.

Caring for kids contains information about a range of day-to-day issues you may encounter as a foster carer, as well as providing a reference point for other useful sources of information and assistance. You can still download the PDF guide: Caring for kids (PDF 19.3MB).

Raising tweens and teens: A guide for carers and caseworkers

Raising Tweens and Teens provides useful tips and ideas on issues like teenage privacy, provides help in negotiating and dealing with anger and has contacts for a range of support agencies. The resource touches on issues such as self esteem, body image, gender identity, bullying, cyber safety, alcohol and drugs and sexuality.

The Teenage Education Payment provides financial assistance to eligible foster, relative and kinship carers and guardians to support young people in their care aged 16 to 18 years to remain engaged in school or other education and training. For more information, refer to the Teenage Education Payment Guidelines (PDF 402.25KB).

Caring together: Resolving concerns and understanding your rights about complaints

Across NSW there are thousands of fostering families doing an amazing job. While there are always the highs and lows that come with the challenges of raising children – sometimes there can be real concerns or problems that need solving. The Caring together guide (PDF 486.73KB) aims to help you work with your caseworker to resolve issues as they arise or supports you to escalate concerns when required.

Leaving care

Leading the Way – preparing young people for leaving care  (PDF 5.44MB)is all about helping foster, relative and kinship carers support the young person in their life develop the skills and confidence they need to move into adulthood. It provides information about teaching life skills, making plans for the future and dealing with change.

Independent Living Skills - A checklist for young people in care factsheet - great 14-page information sheet for young people. This checklist will help work out what the young person can do already and what they should probably learn more about.

Supporting children and young people who have experienced trauma

These three videos about trauma have been developed with clinical psychologist Dr Howard Bath to support you in your role as a carer. These videos will help you understand trauma and how to:

• meet the additional needs of children and young people who have experienced trauma
• support children and young people to cope with the past and have a bright future
• provide new strategies to manage challenging behaviours that stem from trauma.

Caring for children from diverse cultural backgrounds

Read about practical ways in which carers can support culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) children, including a tips for carers of CALD children checklist adapted from the work of Elizabeth Vonk in Cultural Competence for Trans-racial Adoptive Parents (2001).

The NSW Reportable Conduct Scheme

This guide helps carers to understand the process of a reportable allegation (PDF 272.49KB).

The Grief and Loss – Supporting Carers Navigate Placement Change - Caseworker Guide

When carers are going through a change in placement, it is important to think about how we can provide them with the necessary support during this transition. It's essential to recognise that carers and their families may experience emotions of sadness and loss, even in the context of a well-planned and positive change, like restoration. This guide has been designed to assist caseworkers provide this support (PDF 356.72KB).

Carer Training and Support

• Carer support and training - a quick guide for caseworkers (PDF 487.14KB)
• LINKS Training and Supportdevelops targeted, evidence-based training and resources in Trauma Informed Care and Problematic Sexualised Behaviour for carers and out-of-home-care professionals.

Other resources

Supporting carers of other people’s children - Australian Foster Care Association's (AFCA) national foster carer handbook.