Thanks for your post. I’d like to add that if people are really interested in the true history of this country, to watch Australian Wars on SBS. It is uncomfortable but created with grace and heart, it’s truly riveting!
Also thank you for giving me a tip on which foster agency to focus on.
Hi Sarah, thank you for sharing this experience and decision here. I can imagine it has been a really difficult one to make but i agree the impact you can have if you don't commit to one person and keep your wider work going in the direction it is going to benefit a bigger number of people and the planet makes sense.
I had no idea about the number of children and proportion of First Nations children living in the foster system in Australia. I have often thought about fostering children but hadn't realised the need for foster families. I'll definitely look into agencies in Victoria to see if i can get involved and if we'd be the right fit. I enjoyed having something really stimulating to listen to today as i don't follow the footy! Thank you - Ali
Sarah, this is such deep, systemic, important stuff. The US has our own similar seedy past and current issues; and rather than acknowledge and address the racist roots of these, continue to push blame onto those who’ve been inflicted upon and continue to suffer. Listening and doing what’s being asked of us, this is what’s needed.
Also, hit by a car??! I hope this wasn’t too serious and you are okay and healing. ❤️🩹
Sarah, I’d like to applaud your honesty here. I have some of your books and listen to most of your podcasts, and I do think you have dug deep and found where you can make the most difference.
Hi Sarah, at one point in the vid you said, ‘Sign the petitions…’
Can you make a little time to talk about the effectiveness of signing petitions—they seem to come up a bit on my Insta, but I sometimes avoid or ignore them because I don’t have an understanding of the value of them. Would appreciate your shared POV on this.
Thank you for making this vid available to us all, and for inviting us in to a better understanding of your experience here.
Thank you so much for sharing your perspectives regarding these issues. As an adult I'm ashamed to say that I had heard these reports but up until now, had not taken the time to listen and try to understand the impact of these legacies. Thank you again for bringing attention to it.
thanks for your honest post. But, you said to call you on it if we want, so sorry, but here goes.
I am saddened you didn’t hang in there with the foster child you were helping with. I feel one of the biggest problems with the system is so many people find it gets too hard and don’t stay committed to these poor kids. Everyone deserves to have someone say ‘I’m in” and actually stay in. As a foster carer, I have seen this many times. What we need more than anything is not words, ( oh so many words), but just stickability. Commit to a child and actually follow through. It’s really hard, but any parent know this, it’s not easy but it is the most rewarding thing to love a kid and sacrifice for them, because kids see through all the words anyway.
What they see is when you show up, and keep showing up. So, I’m a nut shell, if you think fostering is for you, great, but don’t do it if you’re not going to commit and see it through. It just hurts kids more.
Go donate to a really good cause and leave the hard yacka to people who don’t need to post about, just live it and love them.
I am also a sole foster carer but for 2 kids who are with me for the long haul.
I deeply respect the decision you made. The kids need so much of us. I had no idea how all consuming it would be. I have not been able to pursue my own career. No regrets but it's the reality.
The work you do is so grounded in building community, care and love. If we can strengthen these things then hopefully a knock on effect will be fewer kids who need to be in foster care.
I also would encourage people to consider becoming foster carers but with eyes wide open about the level of commitment needed. Offering support to other carers so they can hang in for the long haul is really valuable.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts here Sarah. So much truth here & yes the statistics around indigenous children in out of home care in our country is staggering. I have spent the past 13 years working with guardianship kids (yes I was one of those carers attending to children in motel rooms & other such places), working within the youth justice system here in SA & family advocacy for Children’s Services.
The most staggering thing was without doubt the percentage of indigenous children in that mix.
My family also made the decision to respite foster an indigenous girl & mentor disengaged youths. Some of the most rewarding things we have done that grew us all as humans.
I am going to take more time to search elsewhere for better reporting from now on. And the AFL stuff - mind blown! Here we are in 2022 & it is STILL seemingly ok to demand our indigenous community members move away from their families for the ‘greater good’ of their careers, sport, this country........
Imagine if everyone unfollowed five 'influencers' who post vacuous, shallow, vain posts about the 'must-have' jeans, bag, shoes, makeup look etc of 'the season' and followed five reputable, factual news accounts instead as a path to becoming engaged and galvanised to give a shit about things that actually matter. If, on occasion I look up someone like the Kardashians like you said you did the other day Sarah, I'm also usually stunned at the amount of my friends and family who follow them, like their posts etc.
Hi Sarah,
Thanks for your post. I’d like to add that if people are really interested in the true history of this country, to watch Australian Wars on SBS. It is uncomfortable but created with grace and heart, it’s truly riveting!
Also thank you for giving me a tip on which foster agency to focus on.
All the best
Cass
Hi Sarah, thank you for sharing this experience and decision here. I can imagine it has been a really difficult one to make but i agree the impact you can have if you don't commit to one person and keep your wider work going in the direction it is going to benefit a bigger number of people and the planet makes sense.
I had no idea about the number of children and proportion of First Nations children living in the foster system in Australia. I have often thought about fostering children but hadn't realised the need for foster families. I'll definitely look into agencies in Victoria to see if i can get involved and if we'd be the right fit. I enjoyed having something really stimulating to listen to today as i don't follow the footy! Thank you - Ali
Thanks for sharing Sarah. I’m from and living in Aotearoa, New Zealand and look forward to supporting our brothers and sisters in Australia on this.
Sarah, this is such deep, systemic, important stuff. The US has our own similar seedy past and current issues; and rather than acknowledge and address the racist roots of these, continue to push blame onto those who’ve been inflicted upon and continue to suffer. Listening and doing what’s being asked of us, this is what’s needed.
Also, hit by a car??! I hope this wasn’t too serious and you are okay and healing. ❤️🩹
Sarah, I’d like to applaud your honesty here. I have some of your books and listen to most of your podcasts, and I do think you have dug deep and found where you can make the most difference.
listening xx
Hi Sarah, at one point in the vid you said, ‘Sign the petitions…’
Can you make a little time to talk about the effectiveness of signing petitions—they seem to come up a bit on my Insta, but I sometimes avoid or ignore them because I don’t have an understanding of the value of them. Would appreciate your shared POV on this.
Thank you for making this vid available to us all, and for inviting us in to a better understanding of your experience here.
— Abi
Thank you Sarah, for you and everything you do. I hear you wholeheartedly x
Thank you so much for sharing your perspectives regarding these issues. As an adult I'm ashamed to say that I had heard these reports but up until now, had not taken the time to listen and try to understand the impact of these legacies. Thank you again for bringing attention to it.
Hi Sarah,
thanks for your honest post. But, you said to call you on it if we want, so sorry, but here goes.
I am saddened you didn’t hang in there with the foster child you were helping with. I feel one of the biggest problems with the system is so many people find it gets too hard and don’t stay committed to these poor kids. Everyone deserves to have someone say ‘I’m in” and actually stay in. As a foster carer, I have seen this many times. What we need more than anything is not words, ( oh so many words), but just stickability. Commit to a child and actually follow through. It’s really hard, but any parent know this, it’s not easy but it is the most rewarding thing to love a kid and sacrifice for them, because kids see through all the words anyway.
What they see is when you show up, and keep showing up. So, I’m a nut shell, if you think fostering is for you, great, but don’t do it if you’re not going to commit and see it through. It just hurts kids more.
Go donate to a really good cause and leave the hard yacka to people who don’t need to post about, just live it and love them.
Hi Sarah
I am also a sole foster carer but for 2 kids who are with me for the long haul.
I deeply respect the decision you made. The kids need so much of us. I had no idea how all consuming it would be. I have not been able to pursue my own career. No regrets but it's the reality.
The work you do is so grounded in building community, care and love. If we can strengthen these things then hopefully a knock on effect will be fewer kids who need to be in foster care.
I also would encourage people to consider becoming foster carers but with eyes wide open about the level of commitment needed. Offering support to other carers so they can hang in for the long haul is really valuable.
Thank you for all that you do.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts here Sarah. So much truth here & yes the statistics around indigenous children in out of home care in our country is staggering. I have spent the past 13 years working with guardianship kids (yes I was one of those carers attending to children in motel rooms & other such places), working within the youth justice system here in SA & family advocacy for Children’s Services.
The most staggering thing was without doubt the percentage of indigenous children in that mix.
My family also made the decision to respite foster an indigenous girl & mentor disengaged youths. Some of the most rewarding things we have done that grew us all as humans.
I am going to take more time to search elsewhere for better reporting from now on. And the AFL stuff - mind blown! Here we are in 2022 & it is STILL seemingly ok to demand our indigenous community members move away from their families for the ‘greater good’ of their careers, sport, this country........
Enough is enough.
Thank you
Tiffany
Thanks for sharing Sarah x
Thanks you for raising these issues Sarah. It does need all of us to change the historic, racist structures we have in this country.
Imagine if everyone unfollowed five 'influencers' who post vacuous, shallow, vain posts about the 'must-have' jeans, bag, shoes, makeup look etc of 'the season' and followed five reputable, factual news accounts instead as a path to becoming engaged and galvanised to give a shit about things that actually matter. If, on occasion I look up someone like the Kardashians like you said you did the other day Sarah, I'm also usually stunned at the amount of my friends and family who follow them, like their posts etc.
You Rock Sarah!!