Foster care Newcastle

Every child deserves a safe and loving home, yet many are in need of foster care. By becoming a foster carer in Newcastle with Wesley Mission, you can offer stability and hope to a child or young person when they need it most. Every step you take as a foster carer makes a lasting difference - and with our 130 years of experience and ongoing support, you’ll never walk the journey alone.

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Why choose Wesley Mission for foster care in Newcastle?

For more than 130 years, we’ve been putting children and young people’s interests first, providing them with safe, stable, nurturing places to call home. We value our foster carers highly and recognise the special place they hold in our young people’s lives. As you provide a child with lasting support, we’ll provide you with everything you need to succeed.

Ongoing, timely support

Including a 24/7 call line, monthly case manager visits, financial support and respite care.

Diverse types of care

From short-term care to permanent placement, kinship care to respite, we enable foster care options that suit you.

Deep experience and networks

With a long history and operations across NSW, you’ll know you’re backed by a long-standing organisation and extensive network of peers.

Culturally connected care

We’re committed to ensuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are cared for within their culture and community by partnering with Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations.

If you have a genuine interest in caring for children, consider providing foster care in Newcastle, NSW, with us.

How we support our foster carers

24/7 Support

On-call crisis support day or night, for all Newcastle foster carers.

Ongoing Training

Access foster care training and support.

Case manager support

Monthly supportive visits from your case manager.

Personalised care services

Get referrals to medical specialists, tutors or other Wesley Mission support services.

Resources for education

Access to educational and scholarship opportunities.

Financial support

Receive an allowance to help cover the costs of providing foster care in Newcastle.

Peer support

Connect with other foster carers in Newcastle, NSW area

A break when you need it

Access regular respite to support your wellbeing.

Support from a chaplain

Receive emotional and spiritual support when you need it.

Types of care you can provide as a foster carer

Young woman smiling - Emergency Foster Care

Give a child or young person somewhere safe to stay at a time of crisis. This care is usually at short notice and can range from one day up to four weeks.

Foster Care Landing Page | Types of Care | Young Adult with Dog - Short Term Care

Give a child or young person a temporary place to stay until they can return safely to their birth family or find an alternative permanent home. This care ranges from four weeks to two years.

Foster Care | Landing Page | Woman & Child Holding Hands - Permanent or Long-Term Care

Foster care in Newcastle is available for children or young people who are unable to live with their birth family and need long-term support until they reach independence.

Elderly couple smiling - Specialist Foster Care

Care for a child or young person who has high and complex needs, such as challenging behaviours, disability, mental health issues or being part of a large sibling group.

Care that's given by relatives, family friends, or someone the child or young person already has a relationship with, offering the option to become a legal guardian.

Foster Care | Landing Page | Woman Holding Little Girl Holding a Teddy Bear - Respite Care

Give Newcastle foster carers a much-needed break by offering flexible respite for a day, a couple of weeks, school holidays or one weekend a month.

Can I become a foster carer In Newcastle?

Our foster care providers in Newcastle come from all walks of life. They can: 

Be single or have a partner
Be from any culture or religion
Have their own children
Own or rent their home
Be working or not, studying or retired.

Our NSW foster carers need to be: 

Healthy
Over 21
Willing to participate in training and the assessment process
An Australian citizen or a permanent resident
Willing to undergo background checks.

Foster Care | Landing Page | Woman Reading Something To Child - Can I be A Foster Carer

Steps to becoming a foster carer

Have a chat

Call 1300 325 627 or attend an online information session to learn about fostering.

Home visit

We’ll discuss if your family and home are a good fit and how to apply.

Complete Training

Learn strategies to support a child or young person who’s faced trauma.

Assessment interview

We’ll have deeper discussions to determine if your family is suited to fostering.

Become a carer

If your application is successful, you’ll be matched with a child or young person.

Real reviews by our foster carers

“I don’t think I would be where I am and who I am right now if I hadn’t had those people showing me that I was worth the effort, worth the phone calls and worth chasing me. They made sure I was getting to school, I was getting to work and they assisted me with all those wonderful things,” Brodie shares, reflecting on his experience in foster care and his journey toward becoming a Case Manager with Wesley Dalmar.

Brodie

Former foster child
"He gives big cuddles and says, 'I love you, Mummy and Daddy'," Christina shares about their foster son, Lachlan. Lachlan, who’s been in foster care since he was born, entered Christina and Jason’s care on a long-term placement at just two years old. And their bond was immediate. “We were instantly just Mum and Dad,” Christina says. And that bond grows every day.

Christina and Jason

Foster carers
"Katie has changed our lives,” Caitlin shares about the support she received from a Wesley Dalmar team member. “This has been the toughest experience of our lives and the most rewarding. And every step of the way, you were with us. And that means the world to us.”

Caitlin and Nolan

Foster carers
“Together we’ve travelled to many places and pursued successful careers, but we both agree that being foster parents is the best thing we’ve ever done,” Jules shares about their experience fostering multiple children through Welsey Mission's KickStart program - supporting young people to transition from foster care to independence at their own pace. “It’s so rewarding. That’s why I would encourage more people to do it.”

Jules and Dave

Foster carers

FAQs

What area does Wesley Mission’s foster care program cover in Newcastle?

Wesley Mission’s foster care program covers all areas of Newcastle, along with greater Sydney and many regional and coastal areas of NSW. You can view all of our foster care office locations here.

How can I apply to become a foster carer with Wesley Mission in Newcastle?

To become a foster carer with Wesley Mission in Newcastle, start by calling 1300 325 627 or booking an online information session. If you’d like to move forward, we’ll arrange a home visit to discuss if foster care is a good fit for you and how to apply. Successful applicants will then complete training and have an in-depth assessment interview before being matched with a child or young person needing care.

How long does the application process take for new foster carers?

It can take up to 12 months to become an authorised foster carer in Newcastle, NSW. Following authorisation, it can then take from days to several months to be matched to a child or young person, depending on which type of care you choose to provide.

What types of assistance & resources are available for foster carers?

Wesley Mission is committed to providing all foster carers in Newcastle with ongoing support to help manage any challenges that arise. This includes monthly case manager visits, ongoing training, referrals to medical specialists, educational support, financial allowances and a 24/7 call line for times of crisis.

Why is there a need for foster carers in the Newcastle community?

Foster care is provided to children or young people up to 18 years, when they are unable to live with their birth families, or when a parent or guardian voluntarily seeks foster care support. This may be when a child faces risk of significant harm or neglect, or in times of family crisis. Sometimes care is needed when a parent or guardian is unable to secure work or housing, is experiencing declining health, or has a disability. Where possible, children and young people return home once it’s safe to do so. Others may need a permanent home with their foster carers in Newcastle.

Where to next?

If you’re ready to take the next step, choose an option below to get started on your foster care journey.

Speak with one of our friendly and helpful foster care specialists today.

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