A community that's actually yours.
Hatch is built for NSW foster and kinship carers — people doing skilled, demanding work who deserve somewhere they can talk openly with people who understand it.
You're a contributor here, not just a member.
Carers bring knowledge, experience and support to each other. This is what that looks like day to day.
Connect
- Meet carers who understand the role
- Ask a question and hear from people who've faced the same thing
- Join discussions with carers across NSW
Nurture
- Share a hard moment and get peer support
- Exchange practical knowledge
- Be part of a respectful, constructive community
Empower
- Share what you've learned so others can use it
- Add your experience to a clearer picture of what carers need
- Give feedback, including on the community guidelines themselves
Looked after by carers, overseen by Hatch.
The community is moderated and facilitated by volunteer carers, with oversight from Hatch. Everyone agrees to a set of community guidelines when they join:
What we ask of each other
- Be kind and respectful
- Be mindful of assumptions and judgement
- Be inclusive and open to new ideas
- Value others' experiences, without minimising them
What keeps people safe
- No identifying information about children in your care
- No sharing another member's personal details without their consent
- If guidelines are breached, we may issue a warning, and for extreme or repeated behaviour, remove a member
- Concerns can be reported to us, and reports are kept confidential
Can I actually talk here?
Hatch is independently governed. Government and sector organisations may support or partner with Hatch, but none of them control the community, what carers can say, or who gets access to it.
Under the Terms of Access you agree to when you join, what you post, including who you are, is confidential to the community. Hatch doesn't pass identifiable conversations to your agency, caseworker, government or partners. Where we draw on the community's experience to understand what carers need, we use it only in aggregated, anonymised form. The one exception is where the law requires disclosure.
The community runs on Circle, a third-party platform, so its own terms and privacy policy apply as well.
How it works.
A short application, then you're in.
Tell us a bit about yourself
Your name, contact details, and postcode — the same short form our team reviews directly.
Confirm you're an authorised NSW carer
Hatch is for authorised foster, kinship, grandparent and therapeutic carers across NSW. If you're not yet authorised, tell us where you're at and we'll point you in the right direction.
Join the community
Once you're confirmed, you're part of the community, which is separate from any case file or caseworker.
A few things carers ask.
Is Hatch really independent, even if it partners with government?
Yes. Hatch may work with government and sector organisations, but it remains independently governed. Our mission and carers' needs set our direction, and no partner controls the community or what carers can talk about.
Who can join?
Authorised NSW foster, kinship, grandparent and therapeutic carers. Hatch is for all carer types, and aims to work alongside organisations like ACCOs, AbSec and SNAICC, never in their place.
Will anything I say get back to my agency or caseworker?
Hatch doesn't pass your posts or identity to your agency, caseworker, government or partners. Content is used only in aggregated, anonymised form, and the law can require disclosure in limited circumstances. The Terms of Access you agree to when joining set this out.
Is there an app?
A native Hatch app is now in development. For now, the community runs on our existing platform.