Steps to becoming a foster carer

If you are interested in finding out more about foster care and the process of becoming a carer you can;

Phone us on (08) 8337 8787
Email us at fostercare@lccare.org.au, or
Send us an online enquiry.

When we receive your contact details, one of our friendly staff members will contact you to arrange a time to get to know you a bit more and answer any initial questions you may have.

If you enquired about fostering through the Department of Child Protection, you may have received an information pack outlining the different fostering agencies that serve your residential location.

At Lutheran Community Care, we provide Foster Care Services throughout the Adelaide metropolitan, Adelaide Hills, Barossa Valley and Murray Mallee regions. You are also welcome to phone our Foster Care Services directly on (08) 8337 8787 to discuss whether we serve your location.

Our Foster Care Information Pack includes an information booklet, which can help provide you with more information about foster care and the process of becoming a carer. Our booklet outlines the training topics covered throughout the 'Shared Stories Shared Lives' training and what you can expect from your Lutheran Community Care Assessment Worker throughout the assessment process.

We can mail an information pack to you or you can download the LCC Foster Carer Information Booklet.

An Information Session is a great opportunity for you to meet and hear from an experienced foster carer.

We invite you to attend an upcoming information session so that we can help answer any questions you may have. One of our carers will be there on the night to provide you with more detail about what fostering is really like and how it may impact your family, routine and lifestyle.

We like to host our information sessions in small groups of people so that you are comfortable to listen, observe and ask any questions you have.

Our foster care information sessions are carefully designed with you in mind. We endeavour to provide honest and realistic information so that you can make an informed decision about whether fostering may be right for you and your family.

You can decide at any step of the process not to proceed with the assessment and withdraw your interest or application.

To begin the formal process of your foster carer application, we invite you to return your Registration of Interest (ROI) form. This information helps us to understand your situation, experience and expectations and the type of foster care you are interested in giving.

The ROI form and a reply paid envelope is included in our Information Pack.

Alternatively you can download the form here: Registration of Interest

To return your ROI you can mail to:

Lutheran Community Care
Foster Care Services
PO Box 2137
North Magill SA 5072

Or email fostercare@lccare.org.au

Caring for children unable to live in their family home is a very special and important role, so choosing the right people for the task is essential. The assessment process involves child-safe screening checks, a series of home interviews and completion of the 'Shared Stories, Shared Lives' foster carer training.

When you are allocated an assessment worker, they will contact you to arrange a mutually agreeable time to meet you in your home for the initial information exchange. At this session, your worker can help answer any more questions you have about a foster care application or the assessment process.

The 'Step by Step' Assessment Tool is a strength-based assessment where we ask you to provide evidence of your ability to care for children by exploring and working through the following competencies:

A. Information exchange and safety session

B. Attitudes and connections

C. Personal resilience

D. Child-focused nurture

E. Working with others

If you wish to care for an Aboriginal child, you will be required to meet the cultural competency once you have completed the Cultural Competency training. At Lutheran Community Care, we employ an Aboriginal Cultural Worker who delivers our training and can work with you to determine your capacity and commitment to care for an Aboriginal child.

Visit Care for an Aboriginal Child if you would like more information.

We understand that applying to be a foster carer can appear to be a rigorous process. We want to thank you for your patience and understanding of our responsibility to ensure that children and young people are provided with the highest quality of care.

At Lutheran Community Care we do pride ourselves on being a personal, connected and transparent agency, and we serve to help your assessment and training journey run as smooth as possible.