Latest News

1. Model MindfulnessRead more...

The CISS Team and FCAV welcomes new carer support worker, Cam Luong.  Cam is excited to join FCAV after spending recent years at Carers Victoria. He brings a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm to the sector. He has worked extensively with carers in the disability and mental health sectors across research, education, clinical settings and not-for-profit organisations. He is passionate about representing the voice of carers. He has supported families who are challenged with numerous life stresses. He is committed to assisting carers through a healing process and works to empower them to obtain better outcomes in their lives. He is looking forward to managing the wellbeing portfolio for the FCAV, which includes support for carers as well as staff in the organisation.  Read more...

A little extra support during COVID-19Read more...

Thank you to the 226 carers who responded to the recent carer survey regarding your experiences and that of the children and young people in your care during the COVID-19 pandemic.Read more...

The Foster Care Association of Victoria (FCAV) has been successfully working with the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to identify any children in care without a registered birth and to expedite the registration process with the registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. The FCAV is pleased to report to its members that all the cases that were identified since it began this campaign late last year have either been registered or are with Births, Deaths and Marriages for registration.Read more...

The Foster Care Association of Victoria conducts an annual review of the state of foster care in Victoria. Community Service Organisations (CSOs) including Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) provide the data based on the carer households affiliated with each of its offices. Typically data is collected within a two week timeframe in March.Read more...

Read more...

We were so grateful to have VACCA staff, Kylie and Brent, join us on Friday 19th February 2021 to present the Review of the Family Matters Report; https://www.familymatters.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/FamilyMattersReport2020_LR.pdf . Read more...

Welcome to a new section of our newsletter inviting carers to provide a space for carer to carer information and experiences. Our first carer voice is Debbie Green. Debbie has worked and volunteered in many caring roles over the past 45 years. Debbie has generously agreed to share her experiences being a carer and particularly with accessing extended care for her 18 year old.Read more...

The FCAV was acutely aware of the additional financial burden and stress many carer households were facing as Victoria continued with Stage 3 restrictions including additional bills, food, entertainment and remote learning related costs which are not covered by the care allowance. Likewise, carers were not automatically among the cohort of recipients for stimulus payments or other national COVID-19 driven subsidies and payments. Our CEO, Sam Hauge, strongly advocated that all foster carers volunteering to care for children and young people through the coronavirus pandemic should be financially supplemented to meet the increased demand for support. Read more...

A Returning to School Kit for Carers has been developed by Fostering Connections with DHHS and DET to support carers of children and young people returning to their school environment over the next couple of weeks. Key topics include: • Explaining the return to school and preparing for it • Supporting children and young people who have been attending school during this time • School refusal and dealing with heightened behaviours • Supports available for carers • Some worksheets, household plans and conversation startersRead more...

If you are an actively registered foster carer in Victoria, Monash University wants to hear your voice! As a part of her sixth year dissertation, Educational and Developmental Psychology student, Amy Miko, is seeking to explore self-care practices amongst foster carers. It is hoped that information gathered from this project will illuminate the existing strengths and strategies of foster carers, as well as identify how carers can be better supported to take care of their health and well-being in what can be a rewarding but also challenging role. If you choose to participate in this project, you will be asked to partake in a 50-minute phone interview relating to your experiences of self-care as a foster carer. All participants will enter the draw to win a $50 Eftpos voucher courtesy of Monash University. Read more...