Foster carers needed to improve kids' prospects

For foster carers Josie Tunbridge and Billy Muller, looking after their fluctuating family of eight is different and exciting every day.

Although the couple are among 20 general foster carers and 30 relative carers in Hedland who look after about 80 children, the Department of Child Protection is calling for more people to become temporary and permanent carers.

About 18 months ago, the Hedland couple, who have two children of their own, opened their home and hearts to four siblings aged between seven and 11 years who needed family support.

They have also recently taken on temporarily caring for another pair of siblings aged two and four years while the paperwork for their permanent foster carers is being finalised.

Although laughing when asked if their home was busy, Ms Tunbridge said she enjoyed the challenges and new experiences being a foster carer brought to her life.

She hoped the children would have more prospects for their future now that they were in a family routine rather than roaming the streets.

"There are not a lot of prospects with no education and they had missed a lot of school, so now we've got them going to tutoring and school every day I think their prospects will be a lot brighter once they can read and write properly," she said.

"They had never played organised sports before and have never been a part of the community like we see the community."

Department of Child Protection and Family Support Pilbara director Natasha Bargeus said the department was always looking for new carers and, in particular, people interested in looking after foster children one weekend a month.

People interested in becoming a foster carer can contact the DCPFS South Hedland office on 9160 2400.