Foster Care Support

Support is offered in a number of ways:
 
Telephone support

PPSS/FCAV Carer Information and Support Service: The PPSS/FCAV Carer Information and Support Service is a telephone service provided by the Post Placement Support Service in partnership with the Foster Care Association of Victoria (FCAV). It is currently located at FCAV. The Carer Information and Support Service (CISS) provides adoptive and permanent care parents, kinship carers and foster carers with support, information and referrals.
Call the CISS Line – 03 9489 9770, Monday – Thursday, 9am – 5pm, Friday, 9am – 4pm (not on public holidays) or visit http://www.carer.org.au/
Alternatively, call PPSS directly (not for foster care) - 03 9020 1833, Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm (not on public holidays); or email info@ppss.org.au 

Support groups

Our support groups are friendly and welcoming and are open to all adoptive parents, permanent carers, kinship carers and foster carers, as well as those on the adoption waiting list. Each group is unique, offering opportunities to meet, share support and build friendships with other parents and carers.
PPSS can also assist if you want to set up a support group.

Journal club

Journal club is a monthly discussion group for foster carers, adoptive parents, kinship carers, permanent carers and interested professionals. A short article is chosen each month for the PPSS Journal Club as a way of opening up discussion about a topic of interest. It is a gathering for shared learning – participants listen and talk about some of the challenges of raising children, and share insights into different ways of supporting these children.
Journal Club is held on the first Thursday of each month (except January) at the Abbotsford Library, 8 – 9.30pm, 11 Stanton Street, Abbotsford

Family picnics

We understand how important it is for foster, kinship, permanent care and adopted families to be able to meet with other families to share their experiences. Our family picnic days bring families together, providing children with a day of fun.
See our Calendar of Events for the next family picnic day.

Playgroups

Playgroups offer parents and carers an opportunity to develop networks, and to share information while the children have fun.

Southern suburbs
Meet various locations weather depending
Every Second Thursday (school term) 
10.00am - 12.00pm 
Contact: Belinda   Email: bsmitharbuthnot@gmail.com

Regional - Greater Western
Playgroup for Grandparents and Carers of Young children
Bacchus Marsh
Baptist Church, Holts Lane
Every Monday  (school term)
10.00am - 11.30am
Contact: Lisa Trott-Kelly Tel: 03 5366 7100

Lending library

PPSS has a library of books covering foster care, adoption, kinship care and permanent care. Topics include attachment difficulties, trauma, grief and loss and challenging behaviours. These can all be lent free of charge (excluding postal charges) to PPSS members.