“We are short on carers, there is a state-wide shortage of them,” out of home care manager for Anglicare in Bega, Nowra and Moruya Sue Cullen said. 

“I think a lot of people in the community aren’t aware of how desperate things are for carers.” 

She said there were only about 30 in the Bega Valley, including couples, which was not a big number for such a large area. 

Ms Cullen said if a carer could not be found for a child in need then that child had to stay in a cabin or motel with a worker, which was not ideal as it was an inconsistent environment, requiring different workers to provide care, as well as being extremely expensive. 

“I often say to people, ‘an adult would struggle to live that way, so it’s even harder for a child’,” she said.

READ MORE: Cobargo family has looked after over 400 foster care children 

She said one child had recently been living in a cabin in the region, but had just found a carer to look after them during the week. 

While being a carer could be a difficult job, it was also very rewarding to see a child flourish in a home, Ms Cullen said. 

“The main thing is to see a child develop, to see them come out of their shell, to see them become more confident, to see them become happy,” she said. 

She said outcomes could be very poor for children in out of home care, including ending up with drug and alcohol problems or mental health problems. 

READ MORE: Foster carers needed in Bega Valley

“If you give a child stability in a loving home, you have a real chance at changing those outcomes,” she said.

Ms Cullen was speaking on Friday during Foster Carers Week, when a morning tea was held to celebrate the region’s foster carers. 

If you are interested in becoming a carer, contact her on 0428 392 615 or click here. Anglicare offers a range of support for carers, including a psychologist to give parents advice on issues, training, respite, a 24-hour on-call service and financial support. 

Geoff Berry of MacKillop Family Services also encouraged more carers to come forwards, click here.