On Tuesday 28 October 2025, OzChild proudly joined Families Australia, the National Foster Care Sustainability Group, and foster carers, children and young people with care experience, and Federal Parliamentarians at Parliament House for the re-launch of the Parliamentary Friends of Foster Carers and Children in Foster Care.
Hosted in the Speaker’s Courtyard, this powerful event brought together children and young people with a care experience and foster carers from across the country, MPs and Senators across party lines, and leaders in the sector to reaffirm a shared commitment: to improve the lives of children in out-of-home care and the carers who support them.
Led by co-convenors Sarah Witty MP, Senator Maria Kovacic, and Kate Chaney MP, the event highlighted the challenges faced by 45,000 children and young people in out-of-home care across Australia, and the urgent need for reform and the strength of bipartisan collaboration.
“I am proud to support the re-establishment of the Parliamentary Friends of Foster Carers and Children in Foster Care. This is about shining a light on the real challenges families face, and committing to solutions that put children first,”
said Ms Witty. “Without action, this decline will continue – leaving too many vulnerable children without access to stable, home-based care”.
Families Australia, alongside members of the National Foster Care Sustainability Group, continues to advocate for three key policy changes:
Ms Chaney welcomed the opportunity to bring to the forefront the voices of children, and the people who care for them.
“Foster carers are doing extraordinary work under enormous pressure. The Parliamentary Friends of Foster Carers and Children in Foster Care is an opportunity for us to come together across party lines to push for practical, evidence-based reforms that support carers and deliver better outcomes for kids. This is not a partisan issue, it’s a human one.”
The proposed reforms are designed to remove barriers to fostering and ensure every child in care receives the support they deserve. An economic assessment by Lumenia estimates $1.2 billion in long-term financial benefits from these changes – including improved health outcomes, greater placement stability, and increased economic participation.
The National Foster Care Sustainability Group re-iterates calls for Federal Government to take action to reduce financial pressures on foster carers and equitable leave entitlements for carers across all states and territories. Families Australia CEO Jamie Crosby said:
“Without implementing these necessary federal changes, the number of foster carers across the country will continue to decline, leaving more vulnerable children without a home-based environment to care for them. These reforms are a smart investment in the future of Australia’s children.”
Dr Lisa J. Griffiths, Chair of the National Foster Care Sustainability Group and CEO of OzChild, highlighted a pressing reality: many carers are no longer able to draw on their own financial resources to provide children in their care opportunities and experiences comparable to their peers.
“Every day, across Australia, carers open their hearts and homes – often with little recognition, and sometimes with systems that make their work harder, not easier. Foster carers are the backbone of our system. Without stronger recognition, support, and investment, carer numbers will continue to decline. Without urgent action, foster care will remain under pressure, and children will bear the consequences.”
It’s time to give foster carers and children in foster care the fair go they deserve.
To learn more about the ongoing campaign, visit futureoffostercare.org.au.
Families Australia has announced the appointment of Dr Lisa J. Griffiths as its new Chair of the Board, following the transition of outgoing Chair Deb Tsorbaris to the role of Australia’s National Children’s Commissioner.
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