Out of Home Care

That is the number of children and young people in NSW who need a caring home environment because they are no longer able to live with their families. More than 1,000 of those are in the Diocese of Broken Bay. They have experienced the trauma of separation from their family as a result of abuse and neglect, poverty and homelessness.

CatholicCare is committed to making a positive change in the lives of children and young people by providing care and support services to maximise each child’s opportunity to have a stable, long-term home environment in which they can thrive and have hope for the future. This is our Out of Home Care (OOHC) Program.

The personal growth and development of many of the children and young people in our care has been interrupted by significant and often traumatic issues in their lives. We provide health, education, living skills and community support. We actively encourage the healthy development of children and young people through their adolescent years and beyond.

CatholicCare offers both Foster Care and Residential Care services.

Through our foster care program, CatholicCare connects a child with carers who are able to provide a home and support the child’s everyday needs with kindness and care, supported by our expert team of case workers and a network of therapy and counselling experts to build trust, heal the pain and, where possible, support restoration to family.  CatholicCare provides assessment, training and support for carers throughout their journey with a child.

Foster care can be provided on a short or long-term basis, depending on the needs of the individual child. We celebrate and support the successful transition of our  young people in long-term foster care to independence as they leave care, with many confident that their foster carer will become their support through life.