Foster Care System Under Scrutiny: Calls for More Support in Reuniting Families

Foster care experts are calling for more support for families reuniting with their biological children, following the tragic death of an 8-month-old girl just days after being returned to her parents.

The issue has sparked concerns about the current system, with some experts arguing that the process of reunification can be traumatic for children, particularly when biological parents are unwell or abusive.

Trauma and Stress

Victorian foster carer Sasha*, whose name has been changed for legal reasons, shared a heartbreaking example of a six-year-old girl under her care since she was a baby. The child had been "re-traumatised" by court-ordered visitations with her biological mother, who was unwell and abusive.

"Emma used to see her mum twice a week … but she wouldn't turn up to half those sessions," Sasha said.

"That really stressed Emma out … I would pick [her] up from daycare, go and wait … and she wouldn't turn up … Emma was distraught."

Sasha described how Emma would become distressed after visits, exhibiting behaviors such as bedwetting and thumb-sucking.

"It takes a couple of weeks to settle her down after … she wets the bed and she sucks her fingers," Sasha said.

Calls for Change

Heather Baird, founder of A Better Life For Foster Kids, grew up in the foster care system and has seen many children become distressed and resist visitation. She believes that the current system can be devastating for children.

"I know of many children who are forced to attend access with parents," she said.

"You normally find the children, once they get around the six, seven and eight … they start actually verbally saying, 'I don't want to go.'"

Ms. Baird argues that the two-year limit on reunification orders should be reintroduced and strictly enforced.

"The reality is, if you have your children removed and you haven't stood up in 12 months, you're never going to stand up for those children," she said.

Support for Biological Parents

Children and Family Services chief executive Wendy Sturgess believes that parents need more support if the legislative changes are to be effective in the long-term.

"The principal of reunification, of course, is a good one, on the proviso that parents are well-equipped and well-supported, and worked through their own trauma in parenting and having had a child removed," she said.

Roj Amedi, policy advocacy and communications director at Women's Legal Service, agrees that the focus should be on supporting biological parents, rather than the amount of time allowed for reunification.

"Most of the clients that we support at women's legal are often grappling and trying to survive family violence, and they're waiting months something years for housing, disability support, family violence services and other essential assistance," she said.

A Call for a Careful Approach

Former National Children's Commissioner Anne Hollonds AO emphasizes the need for a careful and gradual approach to reunification.

"What that means is that we need qualified family support workers who are able to spend sufficient time with the family to build a relationship of trust and respect," she said.

Ms. Hollonds also highlights the need for coordination across portfolios, including health, education, and human services.

"We found over 3,000 recommendations that were continuously repeated through this time, showing that they hadn't been implemented," Ms. Hollonds said.