News

Be the 'special someone' in a child's life

Tue, 28 May 2013 14:28:00

Tarina Sailor knows only too well the difference a special ‘someone’ can make in the life of a child.

Tarina was three years old when she and her two sisters and brother were placed into foster care through the Mallee District Aboriginal Services (formerly Mildura Aboriginal Corporation).
But 17 years later, her family is an inspiring example of what a successful foster-caring arrangement can achieve.
“The four of us were aged between two and seven, and we were meant to stay a few weeks with our foster parents Barb and the late ‘Draughty’ (Robert) Harvey,” Tarina said.
“We went backwards and forwards a few times in and out of home, but our Mum just wasn’t meeting all the guidelines for us to be able to stay there.
“In the end we just wanted to be with Barb and Draughty – they just had so much to offer, and we all felt so loved, cared for and safe there.”
All four of the Sailor children are now living happy, successful adult lives and careers – thanks in no small part to the love and commitment of their foster parents.
Tarina is an acting personal assistant to a general manager at the Mildura Aboriginal Corporation. Bobbi and her partner are proud parents of one daughter. Kathleen is working as a lifeguard and training as a swim-teacher and Jamahn is working for a local yabbying business.
“It’s become more and more obvious to me, in the job I’m doing now, just how amazingly lucky we were to find Barb and Draughty,” Tarina said.
“They had just finished raising their own four children when they took us on, and they took us on for life. After five years of placement the court allowed Barb and Draughty to adopt us.
“They raised us all with the morals and attitudes we have today, and made sure we stayed involved with Aboriginal and cultural activities. They embraced our culture, attending NAIDOC and Aboriginal dancing days.
“They encouraged our dancing with Latji Latji group, little athletics and other sports.
“I believe that Barbara and Draughty are our guardian angels who were sent here to be our everything.”
MDAS is campaigning to identify and recruit people prepared to make the commitment to ‘be that someone’ in the life of a child in need of security.
The foster care co-ordinator Kim Taha said foster carers were difficult to find, and even harder to retain.
“People are often discouraged when they want to offer to do foster care because there’s a reasonably long and detailed process involved,” Ms Taha said.
“There is quite a lot of training and quite a few checks.  They’re not overly demanding, but it does require effort and commitment, and a preparedness to ‘go through the process’.
“Foster-caring gets a bad rap too often. There are a lot of rewards in helping children.
“They will always love their biological parents as they wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for them, but they thrive in the stability the carers like Barb and Draughty can supply.
“But for each of those success stories there needs to be someone who is prepared to make a commitment, and who is prepared to ‘be the someone’ for a child going through a tough time.”
Ms Taha said foster caring isn’t always long-term, as it was for Tarina and her family, with carers also needed for respite and emergency care.
“But what we do need desperately is for people who are prepared to make a commitment if they feel it’s something they can do,” she said.
“They won’t be alone – for our part, MDAS can provide all the support, encouragement and assistance so a foster-carer can be ‘that someone’ for a child who needs them.
“I would love to hear from people who have an interest in providing care.  There are various options and commitments people can provide, and we are holding Carers for Our Kids Training sessions beginning next month. “If people sign up for the training sessions there’s certainly no obligation – but they’re interesting, useful sessions, and will provide you with handy skills and knowledge, even if ultimately you decide not to go ahead with providing care,” Ms Taha said.

Carers for Our Kids Training will be held on June 3, 4, 10 and 11 from 9.30 to 3.30. Interested people can come into Mallee District Aboriginal Services offices or call 03 50184100 for an information pack or to speak to a Home Based Care Caseworker about the requirements and process of becoming a MAC foster carer.