Cecily Rosol understands the challenges of being a foster carer well, but when she started to recognise the positive change that could happen for children through the right care, it made it all worthwhile.
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"Often when they first come in, you have some pretty tricky behaviours," she said.
"If you can give them a consistent place that's safe, that has great routines, that's really caring, but also understands about trauma and understands the kids are going to be triggered and set off by things that you didn't expect, then it can work.
"One of the nicest things that I have noticed is the way that play has changed. Play used to always be really frenetic and wild, and now I can listen in on beautiful play happening with chuckling, laughing, singing.
"When I first started noticing that, that was beautiful."
Ms Rosol started foster caring in Launceston six years ago after seeing an advertisement, and wanted to make use of her prior skills from working with children at a school in a lower socio-economic area.
When she applied, the assessment process was lengthy. But with the need for foster carers in Tasmania growing, the process has improved.
Ms Rosol also provides weekend respite for full-time carers, giving them the opportunity to have some time off and for the children to experience another home environment.
More on foster and kinship caring in Tasmania:
"It's like having extra adults showing that you can trust adults, people are safe to be with, and so respite caring is a really great part of doing that," she said.
Children in the foster care system have often come from backgrounds of trauma, meaning the way they develop and react to situations was markedly different to other children.
Ms Rosol said it was essential to understand how to manage challenging behaviour.
"If you wanted to use normal parenting with them, it's not going to work," she said.
"They will read situations incorrectly and think they are unsafe even when they are safe.
"You kind of have to be aware of that and be really supportive of them, really nurturing of them, do more for them than you would need to do for other children their age."
Bringing Tasmanian carers together for one day a year
May the 4th is recognised as "Star Wars Day" across the world, so Kim Backhouse thought it was the perfect opportunity to help foster and kinship carers come together for a day of fun and relaxation.
More than 150 people gathered at the YMCA in Kings Meadows on Saturday dressed in their best Star Wars costumes where the children could meet each other and carers could take a break.
Dr Backhouse, the vice president of the Foster and Kinship Carers Association of Tasmania, said having that opportunity for respite was essential for carers.
"We try to connect up all the carers around the state on an annual basis, and one of the events is this big day out in the north of the state," she said.
"This is a really great collaboration for the foster carers to have some time out and to be pampered and for the children to have a nice day.
"It's just a great way to connect up with each other and discuss the rewards and challenges of being a foster carer."
And why May the 4th?
"We thought, 'May the force be with us' every day with the challenges of children and youth in the out-of-home care system," Dr Backhouse said.
For more information about the Foster and Kinship Carers Association of Tasmania, visit www.fkat.org.au