The joy of foster care is often found in the little things for Jason Oliver and Karen Smith.
A trip to the beach. Going to the movies. Jumping on the trampoline. Even something as simple as going through a car wash for the first time.
They are moments many families might take for granted, but for Karen and Jason, seeing the excitement those experiences can bring to a young person is one of the most rewarding parts of being a foster carer.
As Victoria marks Foster Care Week from 13–19 September, Karen and Jason are sharing their experience in the hope it might encourage others to consider opening their home to a child or young person.
The couple’s caring journey began around seven years ago through kinship care, when they cared for members of their extended family for five years.
When that chapter came to an end, they began thinking about what might come next.
“We just thought, we’ve done it for five years, why not give other children a chance of somewhere safe, loving and secure?” Karen said.
After completing the assessment and training process with Brophy, they became foster carers and have now been caring through the program for almost two years.
The experience has also highlighted for them the value of having support around them.
Having navigated much of their earlier kinship-care journey independently, Jason said the difference was significant. For both Karen and Jason, becoming foster carers has also meant learning to be patient, flexible and willing to meet each child where they are.
Building trust can take time, they said, and sometimes progress comes through moments that might appear small from the outside.
Seeing a young person become comfortable enough to sit beside them, watch television or simply have a conversation can mean an enormous amount.
“It’s the little things that count,” Jason said.
“You might not realise it at the time, but you can sit down that night and think about it and it just blows your mind.”
Karen’s own experience has also shaped their foster care story.
Blind for much of her life, she said her vision had never been a barrier to becoming a carer. The children themselves often barely think about it.
“They forget that I’m blind,” she said. “It’s just normal.”
Karen said the support she received throughout the foster care assessment process was particularly meaningful.
“They never made me feel less of a person,” she said. “They were always very supportive.”
This year’s Foster Care Week theme, Open Doors. Open Hearts. Open Opportunities, reflects the role carers can play in providing children and young people with safety, connection and new opportunities.
It is something Karen and Jason understand first-hand.Today, they remain committed to continuing as foster carers and hope their experience might encourage others to consider doing the same.
Jason’s message to anyone thinking about fostering is simple.
“If you’ve got the space, you’ve got time and you’ve got love to give, please help,” he said.
Karen agreed.
“Every child deserves a chance.”
For them, foster care isn’t about grand gestures. It is about providing safety, patience and consistency and appreciating the small moments that show a young person is beginning to feel at home.