Many of the children who make their way into the foster care system have already endured a tumultuous childhood, so by the time they’re placed with a foster family they can find the transition difficult.

While people become foster carers for all sorts of reasons, the main reason is they like spending time with children and have the time and ability to provide them with a safe home environment where they can grow up knowing they’re loved.

It’s a sad fact of life that despite Australia having around 40 accredited foster care agencies, we still don’t have enough foster carers to house all the children in need.

Agencies such as Anglicare are desperate to enlist people as foster carers and, in an effort to meet the strong demand, they have widened the criteria to include a range of people who previously wouldn’t have qualified.

Now foster care agencies are seeking people from culturally diverse backgrounds who are married, same gender and de facto couples, singles or families, with or without children.

STORY: Orange foster carers delighted to give something back

Foster carers can also be unemployed; the key criteria being they are able to provide nurturing care and safe homes for children. 

Orange couple Renee and Shane Chislett have put their hands up to become foster parents for a young child with special needs and they’ve agreed to share their story with Central Western Daily readers in an effort to encourage other people to become foster carers.

The couple are giving a young child a home and a chance at a better life, and in doing so are setting a wonderful example to their own four children, who have embraced the idea of sharing their lives with children who are less fortunate.

It’s foster care week so it’s time we all reflect on the outstanding job foster carers do in circumstances that can often prove challenging.