Big hearts, big rewards

TWO YEARS ago, Lee-Anne Betteridge and partner Greg of Nyora decided to take a leap and give foster caring a bit of a go. 

“Our first foster care was our little man that’s been with us now for nearly two years.”

“At times I go, ‘Oh my goodness, why am I doing this’, but the benefits and the things that you see with the kids, and the rewards that you get when you can see that you’re breaking down barriers and providing them with that safe environment.”

Lee-Anne and Greg were given the opportunity to take care of two of the siblings of the boy they were fostering, a request they couldn’t refuse. This has given the three siblings, now aged seven, five and three, a chance to live together as a family for the first time.  

“The reason why we decided to do it is that there’s a lot of little kids out there that they don’t get a choice to come into this world, it’s made by other people. But maybe if we can make a little bit of a change or give them a safe environment to be in, so they can experience that, and just to be able to provide, and we have the ability to be able to do that.”

“They’ve been able to experience things together for the first time that we all take for granted, you know, in a normal family environment, which is first time sharing a birthday together, first time having a Christmas together. First time having Easter together, being able to have Mother’s Day have Father’s Day.” 

Lee-Anne comments that having two older children and a grandchild of her own creates a sense of belonging and connection for the children.

“I’ve got older children and they have embraced the kids as part of their life as well.  So, their network of people has broadened and spread out to the point where the oldest one says, ‘I’ve got a lot of family now don’t I?’.” 

“Family doesn’t mean actually coming from yourself and this is another way of being able to have a family,” Lee-Anne said.  

Berry Streets Regional Director South East Victoria, Tim Pedlow added, “We’re always looking for more foster carers, who can provide children with a safe and nurturing home. Some kids who can’t live safely at home, Foster Care is an alternative mode of care for that.”

“At the moment there’s around 12,000 Victorian children that can’t live safely at home with their biological parents, and across Gippsland tonight, Berry Street will be supporting about 130 children in a supported foster care placement or kinship care type arrangement.” 

For more information, visit: www.berrystreet.org.au or phone: 9429 9266.