New body aims to help foster parents

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33991, 4 November 1975, Page 6

New body aims to help foster parents

The New Zealand Federation of Foster Care Associations was founded in Christchurch at the week-end. Its aim is to give the public a better understanding of foster family services.

Mrs Beverley McCombs, the co-ordinating secretary of the federation and publicity officer of the Wellington Foster Parents’ Association, said yesterday that the federation wants further education for foster parents and a closer liaison with professions concerned with children in care. The conference held to establish the federation was opened by the Mayoress of Christchurch (Mrs Judith Hay) and attended by representatives of the Department of Social Welfare and Church agencies. Delegates from the Wellington, Dunedin and Christchurch Foster Parents’ Associations took part in the two-day meeting. A federation conference will be held in Wellington in June to form policies. Delegates from the Auckland association as well from! Wellington, Christchurch,! Dunedin and new associations now being formed are! expected to attend. CONCERN "It is the child in care we are concerned about,” Mrs McCombs said. “In some cases we' are dealing with third-generation foster children. We feel we must break this continuing cycle and offer more positive attitudes for the plight of children whose own parents have hot been able to look after them because of various home circumstances." The lack of back-up services and knowledge about foster care had led to many foster home- break-downs, she said. Some children had been in as many as 13 homes in three years. “All children in foster care are suffering from some degree of emotional disturbance,” she said. Mrs Pauline O’Connor, president of the Christchurch Foster Parents’ Association, said that up to the present time each association had been working in many fields without realising that the others were doing the same. The federation would co-ordinate a valuable : community service which! I had not been recognised by the public. The Christchurch association was formed about three and a half years ago, she said, after a course had been held to help foster parents and to give them an 'opportunity to share experiences. Both Mrs McCombs and Mrs O’Connor have children “in care” as well as families

, of their own. Mrs McCombs ' trained as a nurse at Christchurch Hospital and was a i tutor sister at Burwood Hos- , pital before going to live in • Wellington with her husband ■ and family. Mrs O’Connor is i doing a liberal studies course at the University of • Canterbury and is an active member of St Paul’s School • Parent-Teacher Association.