A message from Lutheran Care Chief Executive Officer Ian Byrne, to mark Foster and Kinship Carer Appreciation Week 2026 (13-19 September).

This Foster and Kinship Carer Appreciation Week, I want to recognise and thank the foster and kinship carers who open their homes, their families and their lives to children and young people.

At Lutheran Care, we often say it takes a village to raise a child. It’s the thinking behind our Be the Village campaign, and it also reflects something our carers demonstrate every day.

Being part of a child’s village can mean providing safety and stability, but it is also found in the everyday moments – the school runs and family dinners, showing up on the sidelines, games in the backyard or loungeroom, celebrating an achievement or simply being there when you are needed.

It can also mean advocating fiercely for a child, helping them stay connected to siblings, family, culture and community, and making sure their voice is heard in decisions about their life.

Our carers do this in many different ways. There is no single picture of a foster or kinship family, just as there is no single experience of being a child or young person in care. What our carers share is a commitment to creating a place where children can feel safe, connected and valued for who they are.

We also know carers need their own village. That is why we continue to invest in the support around them, from our Our Village peer networks and therapeutic support to strengthening our Foster Care practice through our recent Strategic Review. This work includes a strong focus on culturally safe and responsive practice, Aboriginal choice and self-determination, and supporting children to maintain meaningful connections to their identity, family, culture and community.

In October last year, Lutheran Care established the role of Head of Aboriginal Strategy and Practice, strengthening Aboriginal leadership and governance across our organisation. The role helps ensure Aboriginal self-determination, cultural authority, indigenous data sovereignty and culturally informed decision-making are embedded in how we work, including our work with children, young people and carers.

As Lutheran Care’s Head of Aboriginal Strategy and Practice, Charmayne Fleming, explains: “For Aboriginal children, connection to family, culture and community is central to knowing who they are and where they belong. Strong Aboriginal governance means cultural authority and Aboriginal voices are part of the decisions that affect our children. It’s about working alongside families, communities, carers and staff so children can grow up strong in their identity, proud of their culture and connected to the people and places that are important to them.”

Our Be the Village campaign has recently returned to television screens across South Australia with a new series celebrating the small, everyday moments that can have a big impact on a child’s life. I encourage you to visit our website and social media channels as we look at Snapshots from the Village – an opportunity to recognise a few of the people who make those moments possible every day.

To our foster and kinship carers: thank you for your time, patience, advocacy, resilience and care. Thank you to your families and support networks who share this journey with you. And thank you for allowing Lutheran Care to be part of your village.

RELATED CONTENT: A Snapshot from the Village: Chris and Michelle 

CONSIDERING BECOMING A FOSTER CARER? Can you Be the Village for a child or young person in care? Take the first step and find out more about becoming a Foster Carer with Lutheran Care.