This episode focuses on the crucial yet often overlooked role of biological children in foster care families.

Host and Principal Practitioner at MacKillop Family Services, Summah Hemming, meets young adults, Abi, Sophie and Charlotte, who grew up as the biological children in foster care families to unpack their perspective and experience.

Abi, Sophie, and Charlotte discuss the positive impacts on their emotional development and future aspirations, and highlight how familial bonds, shared responsibilities, and life lessons shaped their views on empathy, love, and loss. Carol, a current carer, shares strategies for balancing the needs of biological and foster children and underscores the invaluable life skills gained from fostering.

Dr. Margaret Kertesz’s research provides further insight into the importance of recognising and supporting the perspectives of biological children in foster care families.

The podcast offers valuable insights for current and prospective foster carers, emphasising the importance of family discussions, emotional balance, and the profound impact foster care can have on all members of the foster care family.

(03:02) Meet Abi: A Foster Care Sister

(03:37) Charlotte and Sophie's Foster Care Sibling Experience

(07:48) Carol's Journey as a Foster Carer

(10:24) The Emotional Impact of Foster Caring

(13:29) Coping Strategies and Support Systems

(28:34) The Positive Impact of Foster Care on Biological Children

Find out more about becoming a foster carer at MacKillop Family Services, visit www.mackillop.org.au/fostercare or call 1300 791 677

Access the MacKillop Family Services and Melbourne University Grief and Loss Research Report – http://www.mackillop.org.au/loss-and-grief-in-foster-care

If themes in this content have impacted you, consider contacting Australia's National Grief & Loss Support Hub, Griefline at griefline.org.au or call 1300 845 745.

If you’re a foster carer and require support with grief and loss, please contact your agency for pathways to support.

Produced by Posterboy Media

Narration written by Katy Warner

This episode looks at the emotional complexities faced by foster carers and the significant responsibility and impact of opening one’s heart, and home, to vulnerable children.

Presented by Summah, Principal Practitioner at MacKillop Family Services, the episode features heartfelt stories from experienced foster carers Mardi and Robyne. They share their foster care journeys, including the grief of saying goodbye and the joy of forming lasting relationships with foster children.

The episode also includes insights from Dr. Margaret Kertesz on disenfranchised grief and Simangaliso Nyoni, MacKillop Family Services National Multicultural Practice Lead, on the importance of culturally considerate care.

Through personal anecdotes and expert advice, the episode sheds light on the profound impact foster carers have on the lives of vulnerable children.

(02:08) The Emotional Journey of Foster Caring

(02:44) Mardi's Foster Care Experience

(05:29) Robyne's Long-Term Foster Care Experience

(06:51) Challenges and Mixed Emotions

(09:37) Disenfranchised Grief in Foster Caring

(10:39) Support Systems for Foster Carers

(19:00) Cultural Considerations in Foster Care

(21:14) Preparing for Goodbyes

(26:29) The Impact of Foster Care in Community

Find out more about becoming a foster carer at MacKillop Family Services, visit www.mackillop.org.au/fostercare or call 1300 791 677

Access the MacKillop Family Services and Melbourne University Grief and Loss Research Report – http://www.mackillop.org.au/loss-and-grief-in-foster-care

If themes in this content have impacted you, consider contacting Australia's National Grief & Loss Support Hub, Griefline, at griefline.org.au or call 1300 845 745.

If you’re a foster carer and require support with grief and loss, please contact your agency for pathways to support.

This episode explores the challenges and complexities of foster care, particularly the grief experienced when a foster child leaves a caregiver's home.

With valuable insights from Dr. Margaret Kertesz, a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne, and foster carers Charles and Pam, this episode examines the profound sense of loss and grief carers can feel when a child leaves their home. Dr. Kertesz shares findings from her latest research on the impact of multiple transitions on foster families, emphasizing the need for ongoing support and recognition of carers' grief.

The podcast highlights coping strategies, including the importance of maintaining connections with former foster children, understanding the unique pressures each relationship brings, and having authentic, supportive relationships between carers and professionals.

This podcast is hosted by Summah Hemming, Principal Practitioner at MacKillop Family Services.

(01:45) Challenges and Emotional Impact of Foster Caring

(03:55) Research Insights on Foster Care Transitions

(17:16) Understanding Grief and Loss in Foster Caring

(19:06) Supporting Foster Carers Through Transitions

(20:27) Coping Mechanisms and Self-Care Strategies

(21:51) Maintaining Connections Post-Transition

Find out more about becoming a foster carer at MacKillop Family Services, visit www.mackillop.org.au/fostercare or call 1300 791 677

Access the MacKillop Family Services and Melbourne University Grief and Loss Research Report – http://www.mackillop.org.au/loss-and-grief-in-foster-care

If themes in this content have impacted you, consider contacting Australia's National Grief & Loss Support Hub, Griefline, at griefline.org.au or call 1300 845 745.

If you’re a foster carer and require support with grief and loss, please contact your agency for pathways to support.