Celebrations honour Queensland’s dedicated foster carers

State-wide celebrations were launched at Roma Street Parklands today to recognise Queensland’s foster and kinship carers.

Child Safety Minister Desley Boyle encouraged all Queenslanders to support the State’s foster carers during Foster and Kinship Care Week this week.

“In Queensland, there are more than 6800 children in care – children who have been abused or neglected and whose own parents won’t keep them safe.

“Thankfully, we have 2900 foster and kinship carers who step in and take these children into their homes and into their hearts. They are the backbone of Queensland’s child protection system.”

Ms Boyle said the Beattie Government had contributed $44,000 for groups right across the State to recognise and celebrate foster carers this week and she called on the Federal Government to also recognise their contribution.

“This year is Year of the Surf Lifesaver and we’ve previously had the Year of the Outback and the Year of the Indigenous People - it’s about time we had the Year of the Foster Carer,” she said.

“I’m informed it’s the Federal Government that makes that decision. I call on the Federal Minister for Families and Community Services to recognise the great contribution foster carers make right across Australia and declare a “Year of the Foster Carer”.

“Foster and kinship carers are our unsung heroes and it is time we shone the spotlight on them at a national level,” Ms Boyle said.

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Child Safety, Julie Attwood, who officially launched Foster and Kinship Care Week at Roma St Parklands, encouraged more Queenslanders to consider fostering a child.

“The theme for Foster and Kinship Care Week is Foster carers make a difference - and they really do,” Mrs Attwood said.

“Throughout Queensland, the need for more foster carers, including relative carers and short-term carers, continues to grow.

“There are a growing number of children in Queensland communities who are not able to live with their own families because of physical, emotional and sexual abuse.

“To meet the needs of children and young people in care, we need more generous and open-hearted Queenslanders to give them safe, stable and supportive homes,” Mrs Attwood said.

She said foster carers were given an allowance to help cover the costs of raising a child and these had recently been increased by up to $100 a fortnight. The fortnightly allowances are: children up to one year $370.61; children 2-5 $370.61; children 6-10 $399.26; children 11-15 $434.02 and children 16 and over $434.02.

To become a foster carer, phone 1300 550 877.

Foster and Kinship Care Week runs from Sunday 11 to Sunday 18 March.

Celebrations will take place throughout the state, with a wide range of activities providing opportunities for the community to recognise the extraordinary contribution of foster carers to local children and young people.

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Media contact: 3224 7477

11 March 2007