Push to find emergency homes as system struggles with carer shortfall
In a push to find emergency homes for more than 300 vulnerable children, Australian foster carers are urging others to give it a go, saying they wish they had done it sooner.
"I just think if you can help anybody in any way, that's how it should be," 69-year-old Gina Young, from Sydney's west, told A Current Affair.
Gina and her husband Cole, 63, have nurtured 12 infant children in the last decade after the grandparents sold their thriving gym in order to open their home to kids.
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Gina and her husband Cole have nurtured 12 infant children in the last decade. A Current Affair
Gina, a former Australian champion bodybuilder, and Cole, who travelled the world as a fitness trainer for Kostya Tszyu, traded it all in a decade ago to take care of young kids in need.
They decided to learn more about becoming foster parents after they became full-time carers for their own grandson.
"We realised to do it right we needed a lot of knowledge and a lot of help, so we started doing a lot of courses," Cole said.
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Robyn and Nick Lloyd from Sydney's north-east have also opened their home to more than 30 children in need of emergency care, while raising three teenage daughters of their own. A Current Affair
"And then one of the courses we did, the woman running the course told us stories of babies that had come into care - they were in the maternity ward - the only times they were held is when they were changed or when they were fed."
Gina couldn't bear the thought of those babies lying alone in hospital and so that's when the couple decided they could take care of them.
"We love them and treat them like they're our own, and we give them the best possible life we can," Cole said.
Robyn and Nick Lloyd from Sydney's north-east have also opened their home to more than 30 children in need of emergency care, while raising three teenage daughters of their own.
"It's a real joy for us to have kids in the house," Robyn said.
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Finding foster carers has become a priority for the NSW government. A Current Affair
She said there were many reasons why people should consider fostering but the biggest reward for them was "just seeing them really grow and develop in their time with us".
They said a huge side benefit was that it provided valuable life lessons for their daughters.
"I think it's good for them to be able to understand that not everybody gets a safe and secure home but everybody deserves one," Nick said.
Their daughters play an active role in raising their temporary siblings and have learnt valuable life skills which include learning to deal with tantrums.
"All of our girls can now look after a young child. They can feed them, bathe them, change them, do nappies - the lot," Nick said.
Finding foster carers has become a priority for the NSW government.
Families Minister Kate Washington said her number one wish for 2025 was more people to make a difference by becoming foster carers.
"Children thrive when they've got safe stable loving homes. That's what we are asking foster carers to provide and that's why we need more," Washington said.
There has been a 1320 per cent increase on the average daily number of inquiries to DCJ's foster carer recruitment inbox since the program went to air last night.
To learn about becoming a foster carer, go to:
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