Carer Support

We work in partnership with you

We create strong working relationships with our Foster Carers with trust, respect, openness and creativity at its centre. Becoming a MercyCare Foster Carer means you become an integral part of a team that is focused on ensuring the very best for the children in our care.

We are responsive to the needs of our Foster Carers:

• Every MercyCare foster carer has their own dedicated case worker with regular joint planning and assessment and goal setting for children. From the moment you enquire to a child being part of your family, we will support you every step of the way. MercyCare is committed to providing ongoing foster carer support that enables you, together with out team, to provide the best care possible for a child in need.
• We provide carers with development and training matched to their needs and the needs of the child, so both can grow and thrive.
• MercyCare has a business support officer to provide timely responses to carer subsidies and additional cost reimbursements.
• We have 24/7 support through an on-call service
• We offer regular carer events, foster support and access to holiday activities, camps and carer respite. We recognise foster caring requires care and support of a team. Our respite care program is for Foster Parents to have short breaks when required. This may be for illness, travel, and additional support in the role of caring for a child.

Gemma Marai

Foster Carer Support Officer

For those interested in becoming a MercyCare Foster Carer, Gemma is the first voice they’ll hear at the other end of the phone and the first person they’ll meet on their journey.

For Gemma, what makes a great Foster Carer is respect, patience, good listening skills, an openness to learn and develop, flexibility and adaptability. The most important factor though, is to have the child’s best interest at heart.

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