10 top tips for building stronger families

It doesn’t happen by mistake and it’s much more than the sum of its parts, building a strong family takes time and requires all members to work together. So how do you get all the members of your family to function together effectively? You lead the way!

Don’t worry, you’re not alone in this challenge. Whether caring for your own children or children in your care, here are 10 top tips for building stronger families.

  1. Take the time to play and have fun with your family.
  2. Build connections with older relatives and community elders.
  3. Appreciate your family and community – everyone matters!
  4. Encourage each other and offer support.
  5. Participate in local events and get to know your community.
  6. Celebrate achievements, large and small.
  7. Be generous with your time in your family and in your community.
  8. Reduce your stress – remember you need time out too!
  9. Do something with your family that helps others.
  10. Take time out from technology and enjoy family time together.
    For more tips and resources, visit nfw.org.au

We proudly support our foster carers to provide the best care possible for children who are not able to live with their birth families. To find out more about becoming a carer, or foster care in general, click the link below and register to attend one of our upcoming information sessions.

Urgent care needed for Melanie

Family Spirit is in urgent need of a carer for a young girl. *Melanie is 9 years old, the youngest of eight children, she loves connecting with her family over the phone and at family gatherings but is unable to live with them.

Melanie needs a caring home, a stable environment and role models to help her feel safe and secure. She loves gymnastics, making up dances, and animals, and also enjoys taking time to relax with activities like colouring in and reading.

Melanie is happy to engage with other children during activities and at school but still needs to be supported to learn appropriate social and peer group interactions. A female carer with no other children would be the best fit for Melanie.

A long-term solution would be great for Melanie, but if you know anyone that could help out even in the short term, we would love to hear from them.

No experience is necessary, and age is no barrier, all that is required is a safe home and a commitment to providing the care and support that Melanie needs.

If you know someone who could help Melanie please share. For further information contact us or call our team on 13 18 19.
*name changed to protect privacy and model used in image

Family Spirit embraces the ARC framework

Our Therapeutic Case Managers are trained and supported in implementing the Attachment, Regulation, and Competency (ARC) framework, a trauma-informed therapeutic model which identifies the three core domains frequently impacted for children and young people.

This framework supports the individual needs of children and young people and assists us to build an understanding and awareness of their experiences to enable us to create safe, nurturing and stable relationships and homes.

Therapeutic Case Manager, Leigh, shares her experience following the ARC training

“ARC has enabled me to be more curious about the children’s experiences and ask more challenging questions in the work that I do. It has helped me with the foundations of building a closer relationship with both the young people, foster carers and families.”

“It has made me feel more comfortable in asking about the child’s experience, whilst also being more curious about the carers’ experiences and given me the tools to reflect on these experiences together within the work we do together. I feel as though this is significant as the caregiver also needs to know that we as the agency are invested in the child’s life and their life.”

Leigh also explains the benefit for caregivers in understanding the ARC framework approach…

“The framework helps with the linkages of early childhood development, attachment and trauma and supporting the families to understand that every behaviour has a meaning. It also helps us to learn how the caregiver has attuned with their child and gives them the opportunity to reflect on this within a safe space in the caregiving system.”