Dear Foster Carers,Read more...

The home-based carer learning and development program, Carer KaFÉ, facilitated through the FCAV, was put out for tender in late 2022.Read more...

The Learning and Development arm of the Carer Support Team at FCAV develops and runs training for foster, kinship, and permanent carers. Training offered includes carer wellbeing retreats with the team having completed training on Mindfulness Self-Compassion with the view to assist carers to avoid compassion fatigue or burn out, highlighting the importance of self -care, and techniques to practise daily to ensure this happens. With a background in Art therapy, we also offer online Art Therapy groups which have provided carers with another avenue of time out and self-care. In addition, the team offers Q&A sessions which explore issues such as access with family, navigating NDIS, CIMS and getting the most from your care team and will often bring in carers with much experience and subject experts for specific topics. We also offer induction training for new carers and produce webinars and podcasts which become available as standing resources for all carers, on our website. We are about to deliver a webinar on cultural and linguistic diversity to give carers an understanding of the different cultural needs of children who come into care, and ensure they are equipped to support them to remain connected and secure in their identity.Read more...

Carer AuthorisationRead more...

Samantha Hauge, CEO of the Foster Care Association of Victoria (FCAV) welcomed Agency, Commission for Children and Young People (CCYP), Department of Families Fairness and Housing (DFFH) and Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations (ACCO) staff to a worker session in November. Read more...

Tessa and Deb began running the Caring Thru Art sessions from 3rd November and had 24 carers RSVP where we focused on offering Self-Care tools using a variety of art therapy mediums and self-care experiences such as mindfulness and meditation.Read more...

Tessa and Deb ran a very successful Carer Retreat at the beautiful RACV Goldfields in Creswick on 5th and 6th November, 2022 with 26 foster and kinship carers in attendance funded by Carer KaFÉ.Read more...

The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing is helping more Foster and Kinship carers get the support they need thanks to the new Care Support Help Desk.Read more...

The FCAV is interested in hearing from carers about the challenges they have faced getting a passport for the children in their care.Read more...

Self-Compassion Practice Read more...

The FCAV has advocated for the automatic eligibility of all children in care for Medicare Dental as part of the review by the Federal Health Department of the Dental Benefits Act 2008. The FCAV’s submission was lodged through the National Foster and Kinship Care Collective [and can be accessed here] in August 2022.Read more...

What Works?Read more...