CatholicCare agencies participate in major out-of-home care reform
For most children who cannot safely live with their own families, either on a temporary or more permanent basis, a foster home is the best possible caring environment in which to grow safely and learn how to trust and love, says Maureen Eagles, Director of Family, Children and Youth Services at CatholicCare Sydney.
With 31,527 children involved in confirmed cases of child abuse in Australia according to recent figures released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Catholic social welfare and care agencies play a vital role in helping children to heal.
CatholicCare Sydney, along with fellow CatholicCare/Centacare agencies across NSW, provide hundreds of foster family and residential group care placements for vulnerable children and young people each year.
“Since the March 2011 election the current NSW government has acted on its pre-election commitment to continue the roll-out of the policy reform agenda known as “Keep Them Safe,” Ms Eagles said.
“It aims to support families early and as close to home as possible, preventing the need for children to be removed into care.
“In recent years, the Australian Government’s focus has shifted to place more emphasis on access to early intervention support for children and families most at risk, and a renewed emphasis on education as a key factor in later life success,” Ms Eagles says.
With a combined 150 year history of caring, CatholicCare Sydney and other diocesan Catholic agencies as well as those founded by religious congregations, share a rich heritage of commitment and skill in supporting foster carers to continue providing quality care. Read More
To find out about fostering a child and making a lasting difference to a child’s life click here or call us on 8709 9333.
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CatholicCare has a duty to care for and conseve the earth’s resources, as a steward rather than as a consumer. CatholicCare works for the integrity of creation in ways which assist all people in our community to have equity and access to a greater share of the earth’s resources by encouraging environmental sustainability and respect for the environment. We will strive to achieve this by reducing our impact on the environment where possible and influencing other organisations to do the same. More