A former journalist has said becoming a foster carer during the COVID-19 pandemic changed her understanding of the stories she once reported on from the outside.
Belinda Cleary said her experience caring for children during the 2020 lockdown opened her eyes to the emotional complexity of foster care and the need for more carers across Australia.
While continuing her work reporting for the Daily Mail, Ms Cleary became a foster carer during the pandemic, balancing both roles at the same time.
Ms Cleary said fostering had reshaped both her personal and professional perspectives.
“Looking at foster care from the outside and looking at foster care from the inside are two completely different scenarios…the vicarious trauma that you can get from hanging out with [kids] is heavy, people don’t talk about the trauma transfer,” Ms Cleary said.
Ms Cleary said the experience highlighted how emotionally complex and rewarding foster caring could be, particularly through the relationships carers form with children while navigating difficult circumstances.
“Even though it’s been my hardest experience, I wouldn’t change a thing, I’ve had more than ten kids in my house at different points, the bright side, that gloss is gone but the heart is not gone,” Ms Cleary said.
Her perspective on care and trauma developed further through an interest in psychology, which she said was influenced by her experiences as a foster carer.
The role of foster carers has also come into focus in New South Wales following reforms announced earlier this year by the Minns Labor Government aimed at strengthening the out-of-home care system.
NSW Minister for Families and Communities Kate Washington said the reforms were designed to improve accountability and child safety.
“Accountability is non-negotiable when it comes to children’s safety and public trust. We are building a new foster care system where kids come first – every child deserves to grow up with love, safety and stability,” she said.
For Ms Cleary, what began as a career built on telling other people’s stories has evolved into a deeper understanding of care, responsibility and connection through lived experience.
