South Aussie couple, Laura and Justin, had their own busy family of five, but when they opened their hearts and home to foster children a decade ago, they gained more than they could ever have imagined. The unassuming couple have recently been named as South Australian Foster Carers of the Year finalists, prompting them to shine a light on the many young girls in foster care facing pregnancy with little support.
In the article below, Laura opens up about fostering and adoption, becoming grandparents, and her and Justin’s plight to encourage more South Australians to consider foster care. Some names have been changed in the article for child protection reasons.
How a decade of fostering led us to adopt a daughter, welcome a grandchild, and advocate for young mums in care
I’ve always said that foster care takes you on the most unexpected paths and after a decade of caring for some of the state’s most vulnerable children, my husband Justin and I are embarking on our least expected path yet.
Almost two years ago, a tiny, five-week-old girl was delivered into my arms on a hot and sunny November day. Little did we know just how much our family would gain by saying “yes” to this little one.
Already a busy household with eight children, not only did we have a new baby to care for, but I made it my mission to build a trusting relationship with her troubled teen mum, Jade, who was under the care of the Department for Child Protection herself.
This gorgeous but traumatised young lady had been let down time and time again by the adults in her life, so gaining her trust was no mean feat. As a team, Justin and I worked tirelessly to advocate for her and her needs, and to show her what a safe family looks like. We spent a lot of time and effort proving to her that we could be relied on and weren’t going anywhere.
This hard work has paid huge dividends. Jade is now our legally adopted daughter. She has been able to completely turn the trajectory of her life around and can live with us, her family, and share a beautiful relationship with her little girl.
We’ve been fortunate not only to welcome two wonderful girls into our family but also to cherish the joy of a grandchild – Jade’s second daughter – who she’s been able to raise thanks to the positive changes she’s made with our support.
Humble finalists of SA Foster Carer of the Year
No foster carer wants any congratulations or accolades for what they do for the children in their care. We are mostly a modest bunch. So when I got the news a few weeks ago that we had been nominated and listed as finalists in the state Child Protection Awards; South Australian Foster Carer of the Year, it was equal parts humbling and uncomfortable. It is lovely though, to know that the people and professionals see and acknowledge the tremendous effort that foster parents put into the kids in our lives.
Almost 5,000 SA children are currently in out-of-home care
My husband and I intend to use this platform that has been afforded to us, to shine a light on the plight of the many young girls in care, who find themselves pregnant and with little to no support. Most of the time, this then results in the removal of their new babies and subsequently another generation of traumatised kids in state care. If it can be supported, family-based placements for young mums and babies are the most beneficial and likely to result in successful outcomes for these vulnerable young people and their babies.
Currently in SA, there are over 4800 children and young people in out-of-home care. Over 780 of these kids are in non-family-based care settings with rotational support staff. The long-term outcomes for this particular set of young people are often less than optimistic.
How You Can Make a Difference in Foster Care
South Australia desperately needs more family-based foster carers to give the growing number of children in care the best possible chance at a positive future. There are many types of foster care, including respite, emergency care, and short and long-term care. If fostering is something that you have considered, I encourage you to reach out to some local foster care agencies and find out some more information. If you feel that you have room in your life and home to help even just one child, then take that step and give it a go – you just never know how much the kids will bless your life.
The Child Protection Award Ceremony will be held on Friday 6 th September, during Child Protection Week, September 1 – 7, 2024.
For more information on becoming a Foster Carer, please visit
https://www.sa.gov.au/topics/care-and-support/foster-care
