Become a Foster carer
Providing a home to children in need is both incredibly challenging and truly rewarding. Many children who need foster care have experienced trauma, abuse and neglect. They need carers who can provide consistent, responsive care and attention to help them make sense of their world. And they need people around them who will believe in their strength and potential.
Safety & nurture
Every child deserves to be safe and nurtured. Unfortunately, not all children experience this. Regardless of the situation, our foster carers provide stability, safety and care for children who need it — for as long as they need it.
Most children who come into our care are referred to us by the Ministry for Children (Oranga Tamariki) because their parents are unable to care for them for a time or because they are at risk of, or have suffered, long–term neglect or abuse.
We work closely with Oranga Tamariki who maintain legal responsibility for any child in foster care. They decide when a child requires care and how long that care should last for.
Why Barnardos?
We strive to be the provider of choice and pride ourselves on our standard of care and our commitment to doing the best for our tamariki. Our carers delight in transforming kids' lives. They are altruistic, resilient and committed. We provide ongoing support and training to all our carers to ensure they always feel empowered to do the best they can for the children they help.
How long do children stay in foster care?
A child can stay in short–term foster care with us for anywhere from one night to a few months. Each child in short–term care will have regular visits with the social worker assigned to their case.
Children who are in our care long–term may have regular contact with their families. If Oranga Tamariki requests it, we will find them a new, permanent home.
No matter the circumstance or reasons, our priority is the safety and wellbeing of the child.