Foster and family carers counselling and support service

Image: The Australian Childhood Foundation OurSPACE WA team.

Funded by the Department of Communities since late 2020 and delivered by Australian Childhood Foundation, the OurSPACE WA program seeks to support carers to provide safe, predictable, adaptive, connected and empowered placements for the children in their care.

Through the program, Department of Communities foster, family and special guardian carers throughout Western Australia can access telephone or videocall counselling with professionals experienced in trauma informed and culturally responsive support.

The Foundation’s OurSPACE Program Manager Colin Hayes said the program provides an integrated model of therapeutic counselling and specialised carer support, that responds to the unique and interrelated challenges and needs of carers.

“OurSPACE helps to reduce stress for carers and improve placements for children by providing confidential counselling, empowering carers to better understand and respond to their children’s therapeutic needs, and by offering support into the care team to strengthen the networks surrounding carers and their children,” Colin said.

“As a result of the service, many family and foster carers across Western Australia say they are less stressed and have an increased confidence in their ability to support the complex needs of the children in their care.”

Carers have said:

“OurSPACE allowed us to discuss predicaments with great openness and no judgment. We have a deeper understanding of the issues driving his behaviour and an improved ability to communicate and empathise with our foster son. We feel less stressed and more able to cope with our daily lives.” – Foster carer

“I manage big emotions and stress better now. I would not have those skills if I did not get help. I could not have learnt those on my own.” – Family carer

OurSPACE accepts referrals from foster, family and special guardian carers and the Department of Communities via phone on 1300 381 581 or email at ourspacewa@childhood.org.au (Monday – Friday).

To learn more about OurSPACE, watch the video below or read the Australian Childhood Foundation flyer.