Now 18 years old, Tamara has spent the last two years in the care of foster parents Debbie and Steve. In that time, with the help of their kindness and support, Tamara has thrived. “I look at her now and she reminds me of a flower that was a tight little bud … and to see her now is absolutely awesome, we’re just so proud of how far she’s come,” said Debbie.

Fiona is from Kalkatungu/Kalkadoon—the Mt Isa region. She has been a foster carer for five years, and is passionate about providing a space for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children that is safe, nurturing, and maintains connection to culture and community. “There’s a lot of our mob that are in the system, and there’s not a lot of our mob that are carers, so that’s why I became a carer,” said Fiona. “I think that the only attitude you really need to come into foster care with, is if you’re open to listening, if you’re open to caring, if you’re opening to culture, definitely, you can become a foster carer. It doesn’t matter if you’re single, I was a single parent when I first started fostering.”

Debbie and Louis hadn’t considered becoming foster carers, but circumstances in their family’s network of friends prompted them to provide a safe and stable home to a young person in need. Now, six months later, they are seeing the rewards—both for the young person and their family as a whole. “I’d really admired people who were foster carers, because I thought, man—it seemed like a really hard gig,” said Debbie. “But you know, now that I’m a foster carer, I’m really glad that we’ve taken this step because it has changed our lives a lot. It would be something that I recommend … it expands your whole world.” “We feel supported and feel listened to… we’re composing while we’re singing, you know, we’re learning,” said Louis. “There’s a lot of support, and it’s been great in that way.”

Donna has been part of Mercy Community’s Foster and Kinship Care team for over 8 years. Currently, Donna works with a group of carers who need a little extra support for a short period of time. This might mean weekly home visits instead of monthly visits, practical in-home support, or the opportunity for children to have some one-on-one time with a youth worker.

“When foster carers commit to providing foster care, they give everything. I see selfless people becoming foster carers who go above and beyond to provide care for children,” says Donna. “I can phone them to offer new placements, and although it may stretch them, we work closely together to understand what supports are required to make it work. Foster carers have a heart of gold, they just want to help. I’m so lucky to work with people who are kind and caring. Mercy Community is lucky to be connected to these carers, and it is the children that benefit from these special people”.

Sandra and her husband Ricky have been foster carers for 10 years. Years before, Sandra’s parents were also foster carers. Together with their biological children Bella and Joshua, Sandra and Ricky have cared for over 31 children. Now, as Bella herself looks to the future, the wellbeing of children is a big part of the picture.

Read more:

One Friday night, with an hour-and-a-half’s notice, Fritha and her husband Chris were called to provide care for two young children. That was three years ago, and the children are still with them. Becoming a foster carer changed Fritha’s world—so much so, that she came to work at Mercy Community as the CEO so that she could do more for kids in care beyond what she was already doing as a carer. Here Fritha shares her first-hand experience of what it’s really like to be a foster carer.

Sandy and her husband David have been foster carers for over 14 years. Much of the care they have provided has been for sibling groups.

“They’re little people who come into our lives for a few days, a few weeks a few months… years, and they become part of our family,” said Sandy. “When children leave our care, especially the teens … it’s sometimes like your own children. They ring up and say ‘how long do I put the chicken on for’ and things like that.” David

For the couple, the choice to become foster carers was years in the making. They considered fostering at different times, brought on by events in their own lives, and made the decision to enquire when their sons had finally grown.

“I don’t see it as making a difference. I see it as hopefully breaking the cycle,” said Sandy.

Born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Signorita came to Australia with her children in 2012 via a refugee camp in Ethiopia. Signorita is one of the most recent additions to our extended team of foster carers, although it’s a role she has taken on most of her adult life. “I used to take care of kids [in the Congo]” said Signorita. “We don’t have Child Services there. When a parent would fall ill, I would do the same kind of thing as I’m doing here. Less formal, but like foster care.”

Read more

It was a love of children that started Debbie and Steve on their foster care journey. Along the way, they had their own children, and continued to care for young people who needed a safe and loving home. “For me it’s being able to support families,” said Debbie. “Children usually come into care in the midst of a lot of conflict and it’s really hard for families being torn apart … To be part of the process to help reunite children with their families wherever possible—that for me is the best thing.”

Hux is part of Mercy Community’s Foster and Kinship Care leadership team, and he has worked with Mercy for over 5 years. His role involves working closely with foster carers, support workers, practitioners and government to promote the best care for children and young people who are needing support. Hux understands the pressures surrounding vulnerable families and hopes to create a culture that supports children and young people to mature into balanced members of the community. “I’m inspired by the warmth, care and generosity that people in foster care demonstrate,” says Hux. “Foster carers may look like everyday people, but deep down, they are the most compassionate, accepting and loving people that I have come across. They take children and young people into their homes and tailor an environment that supports each individual to experience safety and connection. Foster carers take the time to learn about each unique child and create opportunities to support their growth and development. I see our foster carers walk their own journey alongside our children and young people, and everyone benefits from these life-changing experiences.”