A-Maze-In Mind Program
The A-Maze-In Mind Program is a 100% on-line emotional health and life skills education program. Empowering young people aged 13 to 24 with essential life skills such as mental health awareness, stress management skills, anger management tools, increasing self-knowledge and creating emotional literacy.
The program is delivered via a Web-Based Application that contains 6 e-zine and regular updates of additional tools and strategies that empower young people with the tools and skills to manage life stresses which is particularly important during the current pandemic.
The app is further supported with monthly, on-line, live workshops that reinforce the messages, tools and strategies discussed and demonstrated in the e-zines and updates.
The Launch Pad
Foster Care Angels is thrilled to launch their new independent living program with essential life skills support.
We have partnered with one of Australia's largest affordable housing providers to bring housing stability to young people exiting foster care at 18.
The statistical outcomes for young people exiting foster care are poor and have not changed in 10 years. The Launch Pad Program provides long term subsidised accommodation and support program participants until the age of 25 or earlier if they wish to transition out of the program into independent living.
Therapy Dog
The use of Therapy Dogs is designed to help young people improve their physical, social, emotional or cognitive function. These specially trained and certified dogs help people with a variety of mental health conditions, including PTSD, anxiety, depression and complex trauma. Therapy Dogs are a proven and integral part of the mental health treatment process. In an environment where touch is not appropriate, a dog offers a chance for touch that is calming and helpful. Patting a dog has been shown to decrease stress hormones, lower blood pressure, regulate breathing and release oxycontin.
Research: Barriers to Foster Carer Engagement
in 2019 we embarked on our first research project with Dr Veroncia Bondarew.
We received feedback from 70 carers on their experience of being a foster carer.
The report was compiled and presented to Gareth Ward - Minister Department of Communities and Justice (Formerly Family and Community Services) in July 2019.
Carers Conference
Often, respite services for carers can be the difference between a placement breakdown and a positive foster placement that lasts for years to come.
Foster carers open not just their homes, but their hearts, to children in need. Carers need to be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to the children in their care. And it can be a tough job – children in care often have emotional, social or health issues, making them particularly care-intensive and sometimes more challenging.
We support carers by organising an all inclusive weekend conference with their partners and other carers. The conference offers them seminar and workshop opportunities, one on one counselling, creation of a peer support network and some rest time in a child free environment.
Christmas Drive
In 2017 we discovered that children as young as 7 were going to spending Christmas day in a motel room with a rostered on worker. No Christmas tree, no gifts and no family.
As parents we could not imagine a more awful way to spend Christmas day.
Since then we have fund-raised and held donation drives that have resulted in us being able to provide hundreds of age and gender appropriate Christmas gifts to children and young people living in crisis accommodation.
