MacKiIlop Family Services calls for more Bendigo and Loddon foster carers

The team said foster homes can come in all shapes and sizes, and they hear from families "all the time" who might once have doubted their ability to welcome a child or children into their home, who are now thriving.

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MacKillop's Victorian state care recruitment and development manager Tania Ferris said many people would be capable of being foster carers.

"I think the main thing is if you can provide a stable home environment, if you can keep kids connected to their daily activities, if you can provide boundaries and opportunities, and love and warmth and connection in your home - you can be a foster carer," Ms Ferris said.

"We're putting that call out to anyone who's been interested or thought about doing foster care that now's the time to do it."

The local service is looking to increase the numbers and diversity of carers, with those from all demographics welcomed across the Bendigo and Loddon region. Children or sibling groups ideally need to stay in the region, and retain connections to friends, hobbies and school or daycare.

MacKillop is holding information sessions online on August 17 and 18 where prospective foster carers can come along to hear from existing carers about what is involved in providing foster care.

"One of our biggest challenges is that people think you must be superhuman to be a foster carer," Ms Ferris said.

"Although we think they are the most amazing people in the world, unfailingly they tell us that they are just ordinary people who want to help vulnerable young people, and they have put their hand up to help when they saw a need."

Importantly for MacKillop, carer recruitment worker Michael Hoffman explained, reunification is the ultimate goal.

MacKillop focuses on early intervention with vulnerable families and young people, aiming to upskill and support families where possible, but when there is a safety issue the child will be removed and enter the foster care system, albeit ideally temporarily.

Across the country there are around 45,000 children in out of home care, and without families to house and welcome young people many will end up in hotels with department workers.

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Mr Hoffman said there are four types of care to suit a range of families or singles.

"There's emergency care where we can ring someone tonight at midnight and say, we've got a child now can you take them until the morning?" he said.

"There's respite carers who might take a child for a day or a weekend, once a month, once a week, and that just gives the foster carers a bit of a break.

"There's short term care which could be anything from [around] three months to six months.

"And then there's long term care which can be as long as it takes, depending on court orders and interventions - it could be years."

The MacKillop team reiterate that there are carers from all backgrounds; those in their 20s, retirees, singles, extended families, same sex couples, high income earners and low income earners. They can own or rent their home, work, stay at home, study or be retired.

"Anyone can become a foster carer as long as they've got a room in their house and plenty of room in their heart and just want to make a difference," Mr Hoffman said.

"These children are just like any other kids.

"We are very, very strong on providing and building very strong relationships with our foster carers and providing a lot of support for our foster carers through our case management team."

To find more about foster care go to mackillop.org.au/get-involved or ring the team now on 1300 791 677.

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