Foster care

Join the village

Your village is your safety net. They are there to provide the time, support and resources you need to get through the hard times. But what if you don’t have one?

All young people deserve to thrive, regardless of their background or the complexity of their needs. Everyone is entitled to the care and kindness of a community.

CASPA is dedicated to bridging the gap, and inspiring and supporting individuals to come together and be the village that every family needs.

Become a carer

Foster care

Join the village

Your village is your safety net. They are there to provide the time, support and resources you need to get through the hard times. But what if you don’t have one?

All young people deserve to thrive, regardless of their background or the complexity of their needs. Everyone is entitled to the care and kindness of a community.

CASPA is dedicated to bridging the gap, and inspiring and supporting individuals to come together and be the village that every family needs.

Become a carer

What's the difference?

Foster care & out-of-home care

When a child or young person is removed from their birth family's home due to safety concerns, they need a nurturing environment to support their healing and development.

Foster care provides a temporary, loving home where trained carers can guide a young person's growth and wellbeing while supporting restoration or working towards a more permanent placement.

Out-of-home care describes all types of care arrangements, including foster care, kinship care, residential care and more. CASPA provides many different types of out-of-home care to ensure we match the right type of care with the individual needs of each young person.

Myth vs. fact

Myth

Queer people can’t foster

Fact

CASPA welcomes diversity and is grateful for the life experience diverse carers bring to young people in their care.

Myth

I can’t foster because I rent

Fact

As long as you have safe, stable housing and a spare room, you could be a foster carer.

Myth

I have to quit my job to foster

Fact

Depending on the needs or age of the child, or the type of care you choose, you could work part or full time.

Myth

Foster care is a long-term commitment

Fact

There are many types of foster care, ranging from short-term options like respite care to longer-term placements. At CASPA, we help you find the right fit for your lifestyle, and set you up to succeed.

We’re not one size fits all

No two young people are the same, and no two carers are either. We offer a variety of different care types for young people and carers to best match their needs and way of life.

Emergency care

Care provided at short notice when there are concerns for a young person’s immediate safety.

Respite care

A home away from home. Short-stay care that provides a valuable break and expands a child's village.

Family restoration care

Collaborative care focused on supporting the whole family, with the goal of getting a young person home safely.

Long term care

Long-term or guardianship placements for when a young person isn’t expected to return to their birth family.

Kinship care

Care provided by a relative or close friend to their birth family. Kinship care retains family connection and their sense of belonging.

Open adoption

Permanent and transparent transfer of all legal parenting rights and responsibilities to the adoptive parents.

THB care

Therapeutic home based care is for young people who have higher needs and require more support.

Home based care

When your home isn’t an option, you may be eligible to be a carer staying in one of ours.

Bail assistance line

Keep a young person out of juvenile detention and offer them a safe place to stay for up to 28 days.