Guardianship plan for foster children

Guardianship plan for foster children
AMY NOONAN From: The Advertiser July 23, 2010 8:38pm

LONG-TERM foster children could be transferred to the guardianship of their carers, the State Government plans.

The news has been welcomed by a foster carers' network. However, a grandparents' group would like to see more done to support grandparents acting as carers for their grandchildren.

Families and Communities Minister Jennifer Rankine said Directions for Alternative Care in South Australia, a draft paper to be released on Monday, would show a carer could "apply through the Youth Court to have full guardianship and therefore have greater say in the health, education and life choices of these young children".

"We know that many wonderful carers build lifelong commitments to the children in their care and these changes will make their life easier," she said.

There are about 2000 children in care - half cared for by a family member who is not a parent, about 800 in foster care and about 200 cared for by Families SA staff. A spokesman said children were no longer cared for in hotels or motels.



Connecting Foster Carers SA chairwoman Maureen Madden, herself a foster carer for the past 30 years, said she was "excited" at the news. "It's so important for these kids to have a family, they'll actually belong - that's wonderful ... I can tell you there will be carers dancing at this news," Mrs Madden said.

Grandparents for Grandchildren SA Inc executive officer Denise Langton said: "It certainly doesn't help grandparents who have informal care or who have gone through the Family Court.

Grandparents who take on full-time care through the Family Court get no financial assistance, nothing like foster carers. We have to rely on the family tax benefit and all our savings and super to bring up these children."

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/guardianship-plan-for-foster-children/story-e6frea83-1225896288042