Resources

The Foster Care Handbook

The Foster Care Handbook for Foster Families has been developed in consultation with the Department of Communities. The Foster Care Association of Western Australia provides the information in this publication in good faith. The information is not legal advice and is provided on the basis that neither the Association or the Department can be held liable for the misinterpretation of information provided. The handbook was updated in September 2017.

Family Care Resource

The Department for Communities has developed a handbook speci!c to Family Carers. This handbook provides family carers with information to assist them with their caring journey. 

Support For Grandparents

Carer Subsidy

KidSport Programme

Background information on KidSport:

KidSport enables eligible Western Australian children aged 5 to18 years to participate in community sport by offering them financial assistance of up to $150 per calendar year towards club fees.

All Western Australian children aged 5 to 18 with a valid Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card are eligible for the programFull information and details regarding the application process are available here: http://www.dlgsc.wa.gov.au/kidsport

The team can be reached on 9492 9911 for queries.

KidSport Swimming Lessons:

From 1 January 2021, current KidSport vouchers will be able to be used at approved swim schools, including those endorsed by recognised State Sporting Associations such as Royal Life Saving WA.

Full announcement detailed here: https://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/McGowan/2020/12/KidSport-swims-into-new-waters.aspx

There are currently 35 swim schools approved in our system – 23 metropolitan swim schools and 12 regional.  We are continuing to receive and assess new swim school applications on a weekly basis.

All KidSport approved clubs, including swim schools, can be browsed on our “Find a KidSport Approved Club” webpage:  https://kidsport.dlgsc.wa.gov.au/find-a-club/

Second Voucher:

KidSport vouchers have been doubled for 2021 to help families reconnect through sport. All eligible children will be able to access two $150 KidSport vouchers in 2021. Applications are currently open for voucher 1, applications for voucher 2 open 1 July 2021.

Voucher 1 is available January 2021 to December 2021.Voucher 2 is available July 2021 to December 2021.

Promotional Materials:

The KidSport Promotional Toolkit, which contains materials such as social media tiles, sample text, newsletter images and such is available here: https://www.dlgsc.wa.gov.au/funding/sport-and-recreation-funding/kidsport/kidsport-promotional-toolkit 

Fair Game/Equip Me:

Link to the Fair Game website – https://www.fairgame.org.au/

In a partnership between Fair Game, City of Gosnells and DLGSC KidSport families in the City of Gosnells are currently being offered the option to access free second hand equipment through the ‘Equip-Me’ project.

This is the second time this initiative had been run in the City of Gosnells.

Child Development & Parenting

Aboriginal Resource

Therapeutic Services and Trauma Team Resources

The Australian Childhood Foundation

The Australian Childhood Foundation is a national charity which prioritises the safety and welfare of children. It provides counselling, advocacy, education, child abuse prevention programs and research.  Click on the following link to access their website: hhtp://www.childhood.org.au/.

OurSPACE

The Australian Childhood Foundation (ACF) has been funded by the State Recovery Plan to provide a State-wide therapeutic consultation and support service, OurSPACE, for Department of Communities foster and family carers. OurSPACE provides support to any placement under stress and/or at risk of breaking down. The program provides culturally responsive, trauma informed support to empower carers to understand and meet the needs of the children in their care. The sessions are provided by specialised therapeutic counsellors, including an Aboriginal practitioner.

ACF has foster and Family care support information and resources on their website, visit: https://professionals.childhood.org.au. 

To view a copy of the OurSPACE Foster and Family Care Support flyer, click on the link below:

PLACE

How can family and foster carers develop and strengthen relationships with their children?  PLACE is a relationship and attachment building approach developed by Dr Dan Hughes. PLACE describes qualities of a safe relationship and ways to respond to children’s feelings, needs and behaviours; which are Playfulness, Love, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy. Click on the link below to find out more: 

Dan Hughes and Jon Baylin have a particular interest in helping parents and carers strengthen their connection with children. They draw upon brain research as a frame for their approach. In one of their most popular books, ‘Brain Based Parenting – The neuroscience of caregiving for a healthy attachment’, they explore five inter-related systems that support parenting. Each system represents a different set of resources that parents use when they relate to their children.  Click on the link below for a free guide that helps you to understand these ideas:

Sortli App

Sortli (short for Sort your life) is a free App designed by young people for young people to help navigate their transition from out-of-home care to independence.  It helps to guide them and provides links to support to local services in areas such as housing, employment, health, money and more.

The app is funded by the Department and is managed by the CREATE foundation.  Updates are strongly driven by the perspectives of young people who use and need the app.  Recent new features allow young people to create their own goals, get the help they need on their phone and work towards the future they dream. Click on the link below to find out more.

Bright Tomorrow’s App

The Bright Tomorrows app gives parents and carers the tools they need to help build and develop their children’s brains and to help them be healthy, happy kids.

Developed by child health experts, the tips or brain building ‘moments’ in the app are tailored to you and your child, easily !tting into your everyday life.

For more information, visit www.brightomorrows.org.au.

Download the app by searching for Bright Tomorrows in the App Store or Google Play Store. Personalise the app to your family’s unique needs, try out the moments suggested especially for you and have fun using these moments with your family!