Number of children needing homes far exceeds the number of registered carers.

Almost 19,000 children are in foster care in NSW, and approximately 2,800 children enter care every year.  Stretch-A-Family (SAF) is a non-denominational foster care agency encouraging same-sex couples to take on the fostering role. 1 in 4 of SAF's foster care households is in a same-sex relationship and the organisation is looking to expand this.

“Due to the shortage of carers, more than 100 children are placed in alternative arrangements such as motels or hotels each night,” says Norah Duffy, Carer Recruitment Team Leader at SAF. “One of SAF’s main aims is therefore to increase our carer numbers to ensure more children have stable homes.”

Same-sex couples may be attracted to foster care as it provides a pathway to parenthood whilst providing a child with a safe and loving home. Brett and Josh* are a sex-same couple who have been caring for Maddie* under SAF’s management since she was a few months old. She is now three and the couple are in the process of filing for adoption which they're hoping will soon be finalised.

Brett says, "We were looking at ways to become parents, but also really wanted to combine that with being able to give a good home to a child who needed it. We looked at longer term foster care options where adoption was a possible outcome."

*names have been changed for privacy reasons

Stretch-A-Family (SAF) is a non-profit foster care agency in Marrickville, providing safe homes for vulnerable children and young people. We have been active since 1977, working to restore lives, families and communities.