Foster Care Support Groups

Regional Peer Support Service

AbSec has 3 Regional Peer Support Workers covering the North Western, Western and Southern Regions of New South Wales. In 2012 AbSec will be expanding this service to cover the far north coast.

Contacts:

Debbie Skinner – North Western Region – 0488 223 704

Jan Grey – Western Region – 0438 220 121

Judy Bell – Southern Region – 0428 891 690

The role of Regional Peer Support workers is to better support carers of Aboriginal children and young people with information, advice that is culturally sound and informed and coordinate monthly foster care support groups.

The groups’ membership comprises of Aboriginal agency foster carers, FACS Aboriginal carers, Aboriginal kinship carers, non-Aboriginal carers who care for Aboriginal children and young people.

 The areas they cover are:

• Debbie Skinner – North Western Region. FaSCs covered: Bourke, Brewarrina, Cobar, Coonabarabran, Coonamble, Dubbo and Walgett
• Jan Grey – Western Region. FaSCs covered: Bathurst, Condobolin, Cootamundra, Cowra, Orange and Parkes.
• Judy Bell - Southern Region. FaSCs covered: Batemans Bay, Bega, Cooma, Goulburn and Queanbeyan.

The establishment of support groups has also enabled carers to approach the regional staff directly with issues regarding the children in their care. This allows the regional staff to provide advocacy and support that extends beyond the support group meetings.

If you are interested in joining a support group please contact the Foster Care Support Team during office hours  Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm on our toll free number 1800 888 698.