Removing barriers to become a foster carer has been the focus of a year-long Department of Communities’ project, with its revised Community Foster Carer Assessment Manual now complete.
One assessment framework will now be used by Communities and Community Sector Organisations (CSOs) to streamline the assessment process and ensure that new foster carers in WA have a similar assessment experience.
Since July last year, the Foster Care Refresh Project has engaged with 13 stakeholder groups including the Child and Family Alliance of Western Australia (CAFAWA), Foster Care Association of Western Australia, Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, CSOs and Communities staff.
Current foster carers and assessors were also involved in the project, as well as assessment panel members, Aboriginal staff at Communities and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CaLD) and LGBTQIA+ groups.
The revised manual is contemporary, relevant and aligns to foundations for best practice, including cultural safety. Among the significant changes are:
- Two new matrices - Aboriginal Cultural Competency Matrix and CaLD Competency Matrix
- Modified topics to better align with the assessment process and report, addressing issues such as adult attachment, cyber safety and unconscious bias
- Kinship to consider Aboriginal family dynamics
- A family and domestic violence lens
- Gender neutrality to avoid bias and promote inclusivity
- Performance criteria aligned with nationally accredited units of competency.
A Foster Carer Assessment Resource Booklet was also developed to provide a collection of resources and tools, including case scenarios, to complement the revised manual and support assessors.
The Foster Care Refresh Project will continue to receive feedback over the next six months via fostercarerefreshproject@communities.wa.gov.au
Anyone considering becoming a foster carer should visit our Foster Carer website.
