Finding Jewish Homes for Jewish Children
Jewish children removed from their families by FaCS in NSW re now to be given every opportunity to be placed with a Jewish family.
Sam Weiss and Alan Vidor sign the MOU
Every year a small number of Jewish children are removed from their families by the NSW Department of Family and Community Services (FaCS), formerly known as DoCS.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by Presidents Allan Vidor from JewishCare and Sam Weiss from The Benevolent Society will ensure that Jewish children who require out-of-home care are given the maximum opportunity to be placed in a Jewish home.
For many years JewishCare has operated a program called Family to Family Respite in which generous volunteers provide fortnightly weekend care for Jewish children. While this program will continue, the MOU will enable JewishCare to facilitate another level of care for Jewish children who are placed in out-of-home care by FaCS.
JewishCare President Allan Vidor said “JewishCare views it as extremely important to ensure the best long term outcomes for these vulnerable families and to this end we are honoured to be working with one of the most respected organisations in NSW.”
Sam Weiss, Anne Hollonds, Claire Vernon and Alan Vidor
JewishCare is 75 years old and provides programs that help 4,000 people each year or 1 in 10 members of the NSW Jewish community.
Founded in 1813, The Benevolent Society was Australia’s first charity and last year helped over 40,000 people. One of its many areas of expertise is foster care. The Benevolent Society’s Fostering Young Lives program is a government accredited out-of-home care provider and regularly conducts training for potential foster families.
As part of the MOU The Benevolent Society will provide information and conduct training for potential Jewish foster carers as well as assisting JewishCare to assess the appropriateness of applicants who have expressed the desire to be part of various foster care related programs.
Sam Weiss, President of The Benevolent Society said, “Our number one commitment is to ensure that children in foster care have stable and safe homes. An important part of our work is matching each child with a family or carer who can give them the most stable home possible, which often means finding a family with a similar background, or shared interests and beliefs to the child.
“JewishCare is well known for providing the highest levels care to the local community with experienced and professional staff. We see this arrangement as a partnership aimed at providing excellent outcomes for Jewish children in need.”
The first joint Information Session for people interested in finding out how they can help will take place on Tuesday 20 March at 6 – 7.30 PM at Fischl House 4A Nelson St Woollahra. Call Lyn 0421 417 010 for more information.
I wish we would have something like this in Melbourne. Time to get Jewish Care to look after the Jewish children of Melbourne as much as they look after our elderly!!!
The fact they have the opportunity to stay connected to their spiritual inheritance and rituals, will be a by product.
Sad to say this important part of their heritage can be misplaced, especially in todays society.
I’m sure mother’s deep down, will appreciate this opportunity.