Who can be a foster carer
Every child has their own unique life story and individual care needs. To ensure the needs of all children are met, we need carers from diverse cultures, backgrounds, life experiences, and with varied interests.
Eligibility criteria
- Foster carers are adults that come from all age groups but you need to be over 18 years of age to apply.
- Foster carers can be singles, couples, same-sex couples, parents or not.
- They may rent or own their home, work full time, part time or not at all.
- We welcome people with disability and can provide adjustments to support you to be a foster carer.
Background checks
Foster care involves all members of a household. Anyone who lives in the same home will be involved in the assessment process and undergo background checks. DCJ uses this information to determine an applicant’s suitability to keep children safe and well and meet their needs. We will ask for your consent before conducting these checks.
| Background Check | Description |
|---|---|
| Working with Children Check (WWCC) | For anyone who works with children or volunteers in child-related work in NSW. If you do not already have a WWCC, carers and all adult household members aged 18 and over will be required to obtain one. |
| Police Check and National Criminal Record Check (NCRC) | A NCRC is required for all applicants and household members who are 16 and over. Having a criminal history does not automatically exclude you from becoming a foster carer. |
| Health Check and Medical Check | Applicants are required to complete a health check to disclose any health issues which could affect their ability to be a foster carer and how they are being managed. A medical check is completed by the applicant’s medical practitioner to inform the carer assessment and identify any support a carer may need. |
| Identification Check | We need three (3) forms of identification to confirm the identity of all applicants and household members aged 16 and over. Copies of ID must either be certified by an approved certifier (such as a Justice of the Peace) or confirmed to be a true copy of the original by a DCJ caseworker. |
| Referee Check | At the point of carer assessment, we will contact two (2) referees of your choice to support your application. |
| Community Services Check | This includes a review and assessment of DCJ’s child protection records of each applicant and all household members aged 16 years and over, to inform the carer assessment. |
| Home Inspection Checklist | During the first home visit, we will inspect an applicant’s home environment to confirm the safety and suitability of the home. We can work with applicants to address any areas of concern. |
| Interstate Check (if relevant) | We will check interstate child protection records if the applicant(s) or household members have lived interstate and/or in New Zealand. |
| Previous foster care check | If an applicant has been a carer with another foster care agency, we will contact the agency for relevant information. |
I am interested in starting my caring journey
Enquire about becoming a carer
Prefer to speak with someone? Call us on 1300 770 240. Monday to Friday, 9am - 5pm.