Youth Care refers to programmes for children and young people who need to be cared for away from their own families for a variety of reasons. Appropriate care will meet the physical, cultural, social. economic and spiritual needs of the young person.

Youth Care UPA provides 24 hour support to young people and their carers.

FOSTER CARE
Foster care is a way of providing a family life for children who cannot live with their own parents. All over the world, foster families open their hearts to children in need, and share their family life with them.

Foster care is often used to provide temporary care while parents get help sorting out problems, or to help children or young people through a difficult period in their lives. Often children will return home once the problems that caused them to come into foster care have been resolved and it is clear that their parents are able to look after them safely. Others may stay in long-term foster care, some may be adopted, and others will move on to live independently.

Youth Care UPA are one of the only organisations in the field to work closely with the child’s birth family, facilitating change so as to address the cause of problems and work toward a positive outcome for all involved.

What types of foster care are there?

Respite care
This involves care provided for regular short stays (eg one weekend a month). It gives families a break and provides a positive experience for the child.

Temporary care
Temporary care is short-term, usually overnight to twelve months maximum. At the end of temporary care, the child may return to their family or be placed in long-term care. Temporary care may be needed because of

• an emergency eg illness or other family crisis
• a young person chooses not to remain in the care of their birth family
• intervention by the NSW Department of Community Services, where a child is removed from their parents to ensure their safety and well-being.

Long term care
This is care for children who cannot live with their families and need a family to grow up in until their family circumstances change or they turn 18.