Foster Care Week: how you can help a child close to home

Somewhere in your community, a child might be waiting for a safe place to call home. That’s right, not in some distant place, here in your community.

Foster Care Week is coming up, with the Sydney kickoff picnic held on Sunday, 30 August 2026. An ideal kick off for this year’s Foster and Kinship Care Week, which runs from 30 August to 5 September.

And this celebration says two things:

- Thank you to the carers who open their homes.

- And we need more of them.

What Foster Care Week is all about

Foster Care Week, which has run in NSW since 1990, is a week to celebrate the people who care for children who can't safely live at home. It also raises important awareness of a stubborn truth: there aren't enough carers to meet the growing need.

There are approximately over 14,000 children across NSW living in out-of-home care right now. They aren't statistics, they're real kids who need what every child deserves – a safe bed, a warm meal and someone who believes in them.

You can read more about the week through the Association of Children's Welfare Agencies, which coordinates it across the state.

"People often tell me they're not sure they're the 'right' kind of person to foster. But there's no such thing. The children we care for don't need perfect carers – they need someone steady, someone who'll show up. If you're wondering whether you could, that's usually a sign you've already got what matters."

-Julie, Carer Recruitment, Wesley Foster Care

You don't have to foster to make a difference

Becoming a foster carer is one of the greatest ways to help. But it’s not the only way.

Whatever your circumstances, here's how you can help this Foster Care Week:

Become a foster carer. You can be single or partnered, working or retired, renting or owning, and from any background to foster children. You don't need to be a stay at home parent, you can be working part time and full time. You just need a spare bedroom and an open heart. If you've ever wondered whether you could, that question is worth a phone call.
Support someone who fosters. Carers give so much every single day to the children they look after. And a lot of the time they do it running on almost empty. It’s hard work. Cooking, minding the children, cleaning, providing emotional support - all while juggling working and looking after other family members. Checking in with a foster carer and providing help with tasks, or just being there as someone to listen can go a long way. Small, practical acts of kindness keep carers strong. You're not expected to run non-stop. Wesley Mission can arrange respite care, a trained carer steps in for a short while so you can rest and come back stronger.
Give what you can. Of course, if you don’t have the time to foster care, giving a donation really helps. Your money goes towards providing support and resources to children and the carers who welcome them home.
Spread the word. Share a post by Wesley Mission about fostering. Or start a conversation with a friend who might be able to foster or donate. The next wonderful carer might be someone who simply hadn't thought of it until you brought it up.

Not ready to foster? You can still change a child's life as a Wesley Aunty or Uncle mentor, paired with a young person who needs a steady, caring role model.

Worried about the cost of fostering?

Many people rule themselves out because they're afraid they can't afford it. But before you count yourself out, read this.

From 1 January 2026, the NSW care allowance increased, giving carers more help with the everyday costs of raising a child. The allowance is tax-free, and it isn't a wage – it's support to make sure a child's needs are met.

Remember, fostering isn't something you fund alone. Support comes with it, financial and practical.

We'll walk beside you

"The thing carers are most surprised by is how much support wraps around them. You've got a case manager who knows your family, a phone line that's answered at 2am, and a community of other carers who just get it. You take on the caring – but you never carry it alone."

-Julie, Carer Recruitment, Wesley Foster Care

At Wesley Mission, we've cared for children and young people in NSW for more than 130 years. We don't place a child and step away. You'll have a dedicated case manager, 24/7 support and a community of carers to lean on – you'll never foster alone.

This Foster Care Week, take one small step. There's no commitment in a conversation, and it might be the start of something that changes a child's life – and yours.