MINISTER OFFICIALLY OPENS FOSTER CARE WEEK CARNIVAL DAY

September 11, 2011

NSW Minister for Family and Community Services Pru Goward today officially opened Foster Care Week 2011 at the Foster Care Week Carnival at Sydney Olympic Park.

Foster Care Week 2011 acknowledges the hard work carers around NSW do in providing homes for some of the state’s most vulnerable children. There will be a number of events in regional and metro areas of NSW, including carer lunches, carer and kids fun days and bush dances.

Ms Goward said foster carers are the backbone of out-of-home care, and provide a vital service to NSW communities. Carers and their representatives have a crucial voice in the Government’s reform agenda to improve services for vulnerable children, young people and families. We can’t reform community services without carers.

“I’m delighted to be able to launch Foster Care Week 2011 and acknowledge the fantastic work foster carers do around NSW,” Ms Goward said.

“These carers open their hearts and their homes to children in need, and do so selflessly. I cannot praise them enough for the care they provide to our state’s neediest children.”

Foster Care Week is funded by the NSW Department of Family and Community Services and is co-ordinated by the Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA).

The highlight of Foster Care Week is Carnival Day at Sydney Olympic Park, which attracts nearly 1500 people from around NSW, including foster carers and their kids, non-government organisations and Community Services staff.

“I had a great time with all the carers and kids at the Foster Care Week carnival today,” Ms Goward said.

“We were entertained by Dorothy the Dinosaur, and the kids absolutely loved the animal farm, jumping castles and swings.

“This carnival day is an important date for foster care week as it allows carers to network and share stories, and kids in care to meet other children who might come from similar backgrounds.”