For 21 years an Orange grandmother has fought to care for her four grandchildren after they were removed from their drug-using parents who were in a violent relationship.
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Along the way she has seen her marriage break up, spent her life savings in a 14-month court battle with welfare agencies over one grandchild's care and tried to help the children through anxiety, depression and other issues.
And now she is pleading for help to get respite care and mental health support for the children.
The woman, who the Central Western Daily is not naming to protect the children's identity, contacted the CWD this week looking for help caring for three of the children, aged 13-6. The eldest is now 21.
If you're a kinship carer you can go to hell as far as they're concerned.
- An Orange grandmother carer.
She said as a grandmother caring for her own grandchildren, she was receiving less support from welfare agency Barnardos than other types of carers would receive.
"If you're a kinship carer you can go to hell as far as they're concerned," she said.
"If I was a normal person off the street to foster a child I would get all the help and support you could possibly get.
"It's just not fair, I'm just at breaking point and nobody cares."
The needs of foster carers and kinship carers can be different.
- Jodi Burnstein, Barnardos Western NSW
She said she was not willing to hand over her grandchildren to a welfare agency for them to be put into care.
"I love them more than life itself. I will do everything in my power to see them get a fair go in life," she said.
"I'm looking for some support, some respite, some support for my children."
She said without welfare support she was struggling to afford mental health treatment for the children.
"I'm on a pension, I'm battling pretty well," she said.
Barnardos senior manager Western NSW Jodi Burnstein said they had contacted the grandmother on Tuesday "to resolve these issues" and offer her help.
"The needs of foster carers and kinship carers can be different, with most kinship carers requiring less involvement from Barnardos," she said.
"However, some kinship carers require more support and are provided with additional supports."
She said Barnardos' support for kinship carers included an allowance, an allocated case manager, regular home visiting (weekly if required), 24 hour on-call support, respite care, transport assistance and vacation care.
Ms Burnstein said it also offered medical assistance including behavioural support.
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David Fitzsimons
I am a senior journalist at the Central Western Daily concentrating on council, government and real estate issues. Before moving to Orange I filled senior roles at the Daily Telegraph, Daily Telegraph-Mirror and the Daily Mirror in Sydney. They included being an editor, news editor, chief of staff and reporter.
I am a senior journalist at the Central Western Daily concentrating on council, government and real estate issues. Before moving to Orange I filled senior roles at the Daily Telegraph, Daily Telegraph-Mirror and the Daily Mirror in Sydney. They included being an editor, news editor, chief of staff and reporter.
