NSW recruits workers to support foster kids’ family visits

In New South Wales, Australia, the Department of Communities and Justice has recruited over 300 specialist workers to support supervised visits between children in foster care and their birth families.

These workers, known as the Family Time team, accompany children on visits designed to strengthen family connections and lessen the pain of separation. Previously, these visits were often conducted by caseworkers from private companies, a system that experienced high staff turnover and inconsistent support.

The new program prioritises consistent worker assignments and thorough training, ensuring children and families encounter familiar faces. The Department also focuses on cultural sensitivity, with nearly 20 percent of the Family Time team identifying as Aboriginal, to better support Indigenous children and respect kinship systems. Cody McGrady Miller, a Gomeroi and Wonnurua man, now works to ensure visits are culturally appropriate, drawing on his own experience in the foster care system.

Family Time visits take place in relaxed and positive environments, parks, sporting events, and even theme parks, rather than traditional office settings. Workers document these visits with photographs to create lasting memories for the children. Kylie Stone, a Family Time worker with personal experience of family separation, helped a mother regain custody of her child after supporting them through supervised visits, highlighting the program’s positive impact on families.