During Foster and Kinship Carer Week, our Gympie Anglicare Children and Families team commissioned a lovely piece of artwork featuring thumbprints of carers and handprints of staff, Child Safety members and some special little people. The artwork was recently completed by Warlpiri artist Jane Nungarrayi Blunden
Alisha and Andrew work in the Gympie Anglicare Children and Families team, assisting foster carers every step of the way through ‘You Be You’, Anglicare Southern Queensland’s foster care program. The Gympie Children and Families team works with around 75 foster carers through You Be You, and are on the lookout for more carers
“Our group took up the challenge to create specially-made dolls for First Nations children in care…Unlike the usual activity of plain knitting or crocheting with donated materials, this mission required planning and problem solving. Members raided their own collections of cloth, or bought stuffing and appropriately patterned dress material, exchanged patterns and ideas and brought their energy and skills along to meetings to share ideas,” says Roselyn Drake from St Matthew’s Church, Coomera
As National Reconciliation Week approaches, with this year’s theme being ‘More than a word. Reconciliation takes action’, Anglicare Cultural Support Officer and Pitta Pitta man Noel Doyle shares how non-Indigenous foster carers can help make Reconciliation a reality for First Nations children who are disproportionately represented in out-of-home care