Gippsland Carers 4 Gippsland Kids project

A FILM to raise awareness and increase the numbers of foster carers across the region is a creation being born from five members undertaking the Gippsland Community Leadership Program. 
Foster caring and keeping children in their own communities is an issue close to the heart of all the group’s members.
Adrian Darakai is a Councillor at South Gippsland Shire who has worked in children’s services and is a foster carer with his wife. 
“There have been children who have left our care, and then not known where they're going that night, and then after that, not known where they’re going the next night. This is three- and four-year-old children,” said Adrian. 
The issue resonated with other members of the group, which includes Alisha Gilliland who works for Gippsland Centre Against Sexual Assault, Brooke from DECCA, Jamey Mullin who was at the Bass Coast Shire and Gene Parini from GippSport. 
"I think it was an area that we all saw the importance of, and the need for, and there's a desperate need,” Adrian explained.
There are not enough foster carers to meet the demands of the number of children requiring care across the region. 
This means children are travelling for hours, sometimes across the state, to access care, leading to them being separated from friends, family members, schools, their community groups and sporting clubs. 
After consulting with a number of foster care agencies, the group decided to work with an animator to produce a short film, paired with a song written and produced by Adrian.
The film conveys the experience of what it's like to need care and find a supportive foster environment and dispels myths.  
"We only need to be able to influence a small number of people like a tiny portion of people to have an impact that would be really far reaching and really positive for this area,” said Adrian.  
Misconceptions about foster caring are common which impacts on whether people become carers or not. 
It is often believed that it is for a long period of time whereas it can be a few days or a night in some cases. 
The team are hoping for the film with its universally important message will have longevity and create lasting impact and change, with the capacity to be picked up by groups and organisations both locally and beyond Gippsland.  
"Across the two Shires, South Gippsland and Bass Coast, there's tens of thousands of households, and there would be tens of thousands of spare rooms…that would be able to provide the level of care that would be required for children to be able to stay local,” said Adrian. 
The film will be released on World Children's Day which falls on Monday, November 20. 
To find out more and keep track of the groups progress, go to Gippsland Carers 4 Gippsland Kids Facebook page.