september 20 - 26 | 2017
regional extra >>> 25,000 readers every week
north east
north east jobs www.wangarattachronicle.com.au
inside page 7
circulating in wangaratta, myrtleford, bright, mt beauty, beechworth, yackandandah, rutherglen, chiltern and districts
Home away from home By KYLIE WILSON
GIVING BACK:
As a foster carer, Wangaratta woman Lisa Detlefsen regularly opens her home to children in need. PHOTOS: Kylie Wilson
GARDENING WITH
DEBBI
RSPCA
MOVIE
BEE-
LEGO
WITH
BEE
NINJAGO
WINE TALK WITH
ANITA
FOR children caught in the middle of family upheaval, abuse or neglect, a friendly face or a quiet space are among the things that can help them rest and begin to heal. One such local friendly face is Lisa Detlefsen, who has been a regular foster carer for Upper Murray Family Care (UMFC) for around a year. A teacher, she said she decided to become involved in foster care as way to help support kids “who have a hard start in life” and care for children. “I got into it because I knew I could provide a nice safe place,” she said. Since she has been a foster carer, Lisa estimates that she has cared for 11 different children in total, aged between 12 months and eight years old. She has also taken on different kinds of care, from respite to short term and longer stays, and she said that while foster care is not without its challenges, it is ultimately rewarding. “The little ones need more physical support, while the older ones need more emotional support,” Lisa said. “They’re just little kids who need a safe space. “It doesn’t take them long to settle in. “They want to be kids playing, same as everybody else.” Her comfortable home is a haven for children in need, with a spare bedroom kept aside for them to sleep, a sunny yard and a small litter of guinea pigs she cares for. Lisa remarked that the guinea pigs were often a therapeutic focal point for children staying with her, as they could play with them and talk to them. When children are in her care, Lisa lets them play or spends time with them doing simple things, and said that having a simple routine often helps the children as well. In all, she said the children being with family matters the most. continued page |
3