South Australians are being encouraged to consider fostering, with the call highlighting the impact even short-term care can have on the lives of children and young people. Thousands of nights of respite care are provided each year, alongside weekly emergency placements for children facing challenging circumstances.
The state currently has around 1,020 foster care households and 1,820 kinship care households. While numbers have steadily grown, officials say more carers are needed to offset natural attrition and meet demand. Family-based care is considered one of the best environments for children, offering a sense of belonging and meaningful connections.
A new digital campaign, Foster the Feeling, launching next week, aims to encourage South Australians to explore caring in ways that suit their lifestyles. The campaign highlights moments of joy between carers and children and emphasises that even a few hours, a weekend or school holidays can make a tangible difference.
Creative accounts from foster carers Andrea and Kristian, an Adelaide Hills couple, illustrate the impact of short-term placements. They began fostering two years ago, providing emergency and short-term care for infants and toddlers. Their experiences, including rapid placements and giving children access to toys and playgrounds for the first time, show how nurturing care can accelerate a child’s development and wellbeing.
Minister for Child Protection Katrine Hildyard said caring transforms both children’s and carers’ lives. She described the role of short-term carers as essential in providing a support network for children and relief for long-term carers. Jackie Bray, Chief Executive of the Department for Child Protection, highlighted the extraordinary commitment of carers, noting that any amount of time offered can change a child’s trajectory while being deeply rewarding for carers themselves.
Prospective foster carers in South Australia can be individuals, couples, same-sex partners, people with or without children, generally aged between 25 and 70. Flexible caring roles accommodate a wide range of circumstances and allow carers to make a positive impact according to their availability.
The Foster and Kinship Carer Week event, held at Adelaide Zoo, will further showcase the importance of caring roles and celebrate the contributions of existing carers. Those interested in learning more can visit www.fostercare.sa.gov.au or phone 1300 2 FOSTER (1300 2 367 837).
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