News

Throughout New South Wales this week, Wesley Mission services marked Foster-Care Week by celebrating the work of our foster-carers and calling for more recruits to help children who, at a time of crisis, need tenderness and support outside their own homes. Foster-care agencies everywhere, including those at Wesley Mission, are in dire need of carers.

“There is always a need for more carers,” said Wesley Dalmar Foster-Care manager at Castle Hill, Judith Roberts, in an interview with a newspaper aimed at raising public willingness to enter the foster-care program. “We get about ten calls a week for placements which we just can’t fill.” Judith told the Hills Shire Times that Wesley Dalmar urgently needs homes for two little boys aged 8 and 10. Both are currently living with siblings but they need more individual attention.

Between them, Wesley Dalmar foster-care services on the Central Coast, Penrith and Castle Hill, and the Gateway residential day care centre at Lewisham, have about 150 foster-families and almost 200 children in care.

To mark the week’s celebrations, Wesley Dalmar’s Out of Home Care office at Tuggerah on the Central Coast invited foster-families to an inter-agency family picnic day on Saturday, 13 September for a sausage sizzle, games and prizes.

On Tuesday, 16 September, there was an open day at the Tuggerah office to welcome foster carers. Manager April Edler said that she especially wanted to forge closer links with carers. “We opened our contact rooms and had displays of children’s photos and life-story work for carers to look at while relaxing with a cuppa,” April said.

Foster-carers were able to watch a slide-show of the program’s activities over the years, gain knowledge of the behind-the-scenes activity in the office, and meet and share experiences with other carers and staff.

Meanwhile, Wesley case-workers such as Louise Charlton from our Penrith Out of Home Care office, were helping out at stalls at the Foster Care Carnival Day organised by the Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA).

At Castle Hill, a splendid morning tea was laid on for foster-carers at the foster children’s play group on Monday, 15 September.

“Now into its eighteenth year, Foster Care Week is a time to honour the tremendous achievements of our State’s foster carers and prompt the community at large into following their example and consider opening their homes to children in need,” said ACWA CEO, Andrew McCallum.

ACWA says that Foster Care Week is “primarily the result of the determination and hard work of a small group of inter-agency representatives and foster carers” – of which Wesley Mission is one.

Wesley Mission offers extensive training sessions for foster-carers. In Sydney, an information night about foster-care will be held on Wednesday, 24 September at the Wesley Dalmar office at Castle Hill. Phone 9899-5555 for details.

“The process of becoming a carer involves a thorough training and assessment procedure over some months in order to match the right child with the most suitable family,” says Judith Roberts. “We welcome both couples and single adults with a love of children, a sense of humour, and a willingness to work with Dalmar to best meet the children’s needs.”

This is a winning entry from the Foster Care Week art and poetry competition organised by ACWA - Things I Love, written by Lisa, aged 17:

Things I love

Things I love that you’ve done for us.
I was the little girl with the lost eyes,
I’m the one they gave to you, so you could help me see.
I’m the little girl, who had lost all hope,
Then they gave me to you and you threw me a rope.
I was the little boy, who came frightened in the night,
And they gave me to you and you showed me the light.
Things I Love that you’ve done for us.
We came to you, all two of us,
Filled with hatred, covered in dust,
You wiped our clothes and tears,
You gave us hugs we hadn’t felt in years.
Why did you do the things that you did?
You didn’t even know me; I wasn’t even your kid.
But walking in the grocery store, standing near to you,
It still amazes me that no one ever knew,
No ever knew that I wasn’t your kid,
Or the great things you did,
No one saw the pain you’ve seen,
Or knew that when I first met you, I was really mean.
Things I Love that you’ve done for us even through,
I hated you; I hated the whole plant,
I thought it would be good if I just ran it.
I scribbled on your wall in permanent blank ink,
Just to see if I could push you to the brink.
I’d scream in your face “YOU’RE NOT MY MUM!”
Just to see if you would blow like a bomb.
Why didn’t you hit me when I kicked, screamed and spat?
I could understand if you wanted to hit me for that.
But you didn’t, you just smiled and stood really still---
Here I thought by now you’d be ready to kill.
Although I was surprised by this, I stopped trying to make you sad.
I’m the little girl, who saw life today,
Not as something horrible, but in a different way,
You showed me these things; you gave me hope.
Remember in the beginning when you threw me that rope?
I’m the little boy who was scared in the night,
Remember me, you showed me the light,
Remember I was that little girl no one could come near,
Well, I’m all grown up now, and I graduate this year.
Remember my little brother and me, it was just me and him and no others.
When I get married Dad I want you there by my side, and holding on to your arm as you walk,
me down the aisle,
It doesn’t sound like much to most,
But to me new parents, I’d like to make a promise,
I’m yours till the very end.
For everything you’ve helped me see and for everything you’ve done for me.
For all those night you stay up worrying, where I could possibly be.
But most of all I’d like to say thank you from all the other foster kids and me,
For keeping our spirits high and being the Mums and Dads that you didn’t have to be.
I’m the little girl, who came on a blizzard day,
No shoes, no coat and no one to show me the way,
You opened your home and called me your own.
Things I love that you did for us.

- Dinoo Kelleghan, Public Affairs Officer 

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