On Monday 18 November 2024, Chief Executive Officer of Families Australia Jamie Crosby joined other members of the National Foster Care Sustainability Group and Federal Members of Parliament and Senators to launch the Parliamentary Friends of Foster Carers and Children in Foster Care in Canberra.

The official launch saw the group meet with foster carers and a young person with an experience of foster care in the Enid Lyons Alcove, Parliament House, to advocate for small changes to the foster care system.

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Advocating for three main policy changes across the sector, including: 
  
1.    Prioritised access to medical and therapeutic support for young people in foster care,

2.    Reduced financial pressures on foster carers, and

3.    Equitable leave entitlements for foster carers,

 

the intent is to remove burdens and barriers to foster caring, so that every child in foster care can access the support they deserve. 

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An economic assessment from Lumenia estimates $1.2 billion in long-term financial benefits from these reforms, including improved health outcomes, increased placement stability, and greater economic participation. The proposed changes would also generate significant savings for governments through reduced future service provision costs.

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“Without implementing these necessary federal changes, the number of foster carers across the country will continue to decline, leaving more vulnerable children without a home-based environment to care for them. These reforms are a smart investment in the future of Australia’s children. It’s time to give foster carers and children in foster care the fair go they deserve.”

- Chief Executive Officer of Families Australia, Jamie Crosby.

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