A message to the NSW OOHC sector:
Hi there. So you're part of the NSW OOHC sector? Whether you're an NGO statutory care provider, DCJ, a peak body, regulator or even parliamentary official, please read on.
We know that you carry an enormous responsibility and that you are confined to work within a system of complex moving parts. A system that can often feel unhelpful to your cause.
We know that children in foster care sit at your heart, and you are swimming upstream against various system dynamics to help them overcome and thrive.
But what we know most about is carers. We know that more than ever, foster and kinship carers are struggling, abandoning their roles and no longer recommending the role to others. We know that they are failing to feel valued and heard about both problems and solutions. We also know that they struggle more than what they are telling you.
What we have identified is that despite your best intentions, there's piece missing when it comes to OOHC service providers working effectively with foster carers. You are working within the context or a broken relationship and one that will take time to fix.
Data from our platform highlights that many foster carers do not feel safe in their relationship with their service providers, and often even their caseworkers. We believe that this lack of psychological safety is the primary reason the sector is currently experiencing a carer drought.
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Your carer drought.
We can help.
For the past 18 months we have been working towards a response to a declining carer wellbeing problem, and what we've learned is this: You will not address the foster carer drought unless you also address foster carer wellbeing.
If you're thinking this one sounds like a tough nut to crack... you aren't wrong. However, we've already made some headway here, so listen up!
We need to NURTURE, EMPOWER and CONNECT our foster and kinship carers.
While there are many ways to do this, we think our online platform is a pretty nifty idea LINK. Insights gathered in our pilot phase provide insights into exciting opportunities to scale this carer wellbeing response across NSW and other Australian states too.
While looking after current carers is fundamental to better outcomes for kids in care, we also acknowledge the need to increase the current foster carer availability pool, and we have some ideas around that too!
Our community-led recruitment model is underway, and we look forward to sharing more details soon. This model involves inviting public interest into the world of foster caring where they can learn about the role from the people that know it the best. This approach will involve a combination of a public awareness campaign and an invitation to join our online foster carer community.
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Want to work together?
What has become clear to us here at Hatch, is that working on foster carer wellbeing, is inextricably linked to their relationship the broader operating system. For now, we are here to represent them in that relationship. Our pilot data demonstrates that an independent body can establish a trusting relationship with carers, and in doing so, work collaboratively on solutions that benefit both carers and the broader OOHC sector.
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Beyond the social capital we are steadily acquiring, we also have niche expertise in creating innovative solutions to complex social problems. To tackle complexity, our expertise involves creating agile processes, rather than rigid products. These processes collect and continuously respond to feedback allowing the response to remain aligned to an adapting problem. At a micro level, this process is the same as a relationship between two people who communicate and respond to each other's needs. At a macro or systemic level, this requires technical know-how, leadership and collaboration.
If you are interested in working together to increase foster carer wellbeing, sustainable address the current foster carer draught, and ultimately cause real change for children in foster care, please reach out.
Do you care about our problem?
Collaboration is the only way forward.
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There are countless stakeholders who are deeply committed to resolving current systemic complexities contributing to poor outcomes for kids in foster care. From legislators, to regulators, policy makers to politicians, government bodies and the agencies contracted by them, long standing charities, philanthropists, peak bodies, advocators, health, education and justice organizations, academic institutions and the general public at large - we are all on the same mission.
It's also no secret that dynamics such as population growth, intergenerational cycles of disadvantage and the pace of societal change contribute to many of our complex social problems today. This rapidly evolving situation calls for innovators to join the ranks of historical institutions and authorities who have traditionally been responsible for these problems. There is a growing need not just for knowing, but for doing. There is also a growing need to adapt and change, which involves bringing the best of what we know works, and discarding that which is no longer serving its purpose. With few large-scale solutions to these problems, Hatch believes that collaboration is key to the way forward. We invite everyone who shares our mission to take part in this important discussion, as well as those from diverse industries who see their role in the answer such as technology, business & media.
Let’s Work Together
Take the first step > connect with us through our social channels or via a message below.
