KERRI O’Connor followed her mother’s footsteps when she became a foster carer.
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“My mother was a carer and I saw the difference a consistent positive influence can have on a child even for a short period of time,” she said.
“I realised that this was something that I would like to do to provide support for children and their families within my community, as many of the families need help to get back on track.”
Ms O’Connor provides emergency, respite, short-term and long-term care.
She said the rewards from the job made it all worthwhile.
“Seeing a child be reunited with their family, whether it is immediate or other kin, and the joy of knowing that you have helped the family to get to the point where they are able to look after their children,’’ she said.
“I enjoy helping young people discover themselves, their potential.”
But Ms O’Connor admitted there were some challenges involved in the role.
“Giving a child back when you have become attached and they have become part of your family – I believe though that if it isn’t hard to give them back then it is time to stop. We should care for these children, they deserve it,” she said.
“Trying to mould a child into what I believe is the right way of doing things when they have been bought up to believe in a different thing and meeting the child somewhere in the middle – without having a lot of different rules for everyone.”
Ms O’Connor said training and support was available with Pathways giving monthly visits and at the end of a phone 24hours a day.
“There are plenty of educational opportunities to give people insight into the world of children and all types of associated things – parenting, brain development, sexual health, suicide and many more,” she said.
She recommends anyone interested in becoming a carer should give it a go.
“You can make a lot of difference to one child. You don’t have to do permanently, you can do respite or short term,” she said.
“It will make a difference to you and whole range of people you never knew existed.”
Child Protection Week is celebrated across the country this week.