By Luke Voogt
When South Geelong’s Anna Burke heard of shortage of foster carers in Victoria, she knew she had to get involved.
“I don’t have any kids of my own so this was a way of me being able to do that,” she told The Indy.
“When you hear something like that you don’t make a call unless you’ve been thinking about it for a while.”
Early last year Anna heard a radio segment about the State’s struggling child protection system.
“I think they needed 300 carers just to work with the number of children they already had,” she said.
So Anna, who works full-time in disability, signed up to Fostering Connections in early 2016 and became accredited in April.
Since then she has looked after seven children, including a 16-year-old boy for the majority of that time.
“I enjoy seeing him grow and develop in the skills and interests that he has,” she said.
Anna describes her futsal-loving foster child as “a quiet but very intelligent young man”, despite his mild intellectual disabilities.
“If you were to meet him going down the street you wouldn’t have any idea. He’s a polite young 16-year-old.”
He also has a special relationship with her dad, she said.
“He goes to chess with dad because I’m not really interested in it. When he returns home his face is alight.”
Anna said age, work, relationship status and disability need not be barriers to aspiring carers.
“(Those things have) nothing to do to with their ability to care for kids,” she said.
“It’s more to do with the mindset they bring to being a carer.
“The main challenge for me is how to fit in full time work but that’s the same for anyone who has to look after children.”
Anna also had a special interest in Indigenous children, who were “over-represented in the child protection system”.
“I have worked with a young Aboriginal child who’s seven now. We need carers who are interested in keeping kids connected to their culture.”
Anna was one of MacKillop Family Service’s 80 foster carers in Geelong.
“It’s an incredibly rewarding experience – it doesn’t matter how long you have a child with you, you will make some sort of impact on their life.”
But Geelong needs more, said MacKillop’s Anna Masci.
“Some need care for just one night and others require long-term carers.”
They must be able to provide a safe and supportive environment, she said.
“We have some incredible people. Anna (Burke) is a very competent, passionate and insightful carer who always puts the children’s needs first.”
While foster carers donate their time, MacKillop reimburses costs for looking after children and offers 24/7 support.
To find out more, phone MacKillop Family Services on 1300 791 677 or Fostering Connections 1800 013 088.
