A family of five children aged between one and nine have been able to stay connected as foster children, thanks to the close bond between two foster parents.
By taking in the children, sisters Christina Murray and Monica Whawell have enabled the five siblings to regularly spend time together at weekends.
The sisters are approved foster carers for the Brisbane region. Christina cares for three of the siblings and Monica – who has three of her own children – has taken in the other two.
Christina says her closeness to her older sister Monica was the inspiration for being a foster carer.
“I couldn’t imagine ever being apart from Monica and I just thought how horrible it would be not to know my sister through having normal contact,” she says.
“Foster parenting has been challenging for me – I haven’t any children myself – but it is rewarding.
“You can really only do what you think is best for the child. I find I regularly stop to think about how I’m parenting, and I’m lucky to have a person in Monica with whom I can share my special moments as well as my challenges.
“By having the five children in our homes it means they can have weekends together. We can show them how a family can function.”
Monica Whawell encourages others to consider foster caring.
“There are lots of downs and lots of ups, but what makes it all worthwhile is the simple things like hearing an ‘I love you’ or just seeing how confident they have become,” she says.
At weekends the five siblings are reunited for meals, going to the movies (including drive-ins), picnics in state forests and just playing together, like most children.
For more information about being a foster carer, go to www.communities.qld.gov.au/childsafety and click on foster care or phone 1300 550 877.
Typical questions about being a foster carer
With the search now on for more foster carers, some of the questions most frequently asked by prospective carers include:
Q: Can anyone become a foster carer?
A: Carers are regular, everyday people who are able to care for children in a safe, stable and supportive environment. They can be an individual, couple or family of different ages, backgrounds and family circumstances. The one thing they all share is a commitment to meeting the individual needs of children in their care.
Q: What do I need to do to become a foster carer?
A: To become an approved foster carer, you will need to participate in an assessment process and complete pre-service training. The assessment process includes interviews with you and other members of your household. A household safety check, a health and wellbeing questionnaire, personal history checks (which includes checking your criminal history, child protection history, domestic violence and traffic history and that of all adult members of your household) are also undertaken. You, and all adult members of your household, must obtain a blue card for you to be approved as a carer. Referee reports and a general medical practitioner’s report about your health may also form part of the assessment.
Q: What does the pre-service training involve?
A: Foster carers undertake four pre-service modules in group training, or if necessary, through one-to-one training. The training provides important information about the practicalities of foster care, support provided to foster carers, understanding a child or young person’s past and their early days in a placement, and about working with the Department of Communities.
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