Christmas Presents for Kids in Care Ltd

Christmas Presents for Kids in Care Ltd is a not-for-profit company who buy Christmas Presents for children in residential care in the community.  These children are under the Foster system, but are not with a ‘Foster Family’. The reason why these kids cannot be with a family are varied, but simply put; foster carers struggle with challenging teenage behaviours and usually won’t accept kids over 12 years of age. Some kids have multiple disabilities combined with trauma, high risk activities, drugs, crime and disengagement from school. Foster carers cannot manage all this, especially if they have their own family or are not skilled enough. These young people are housed in homes that are run by not-for-profit agencies, that use paid staff to care for the teenagers. The houses are sometimes owned by these agencies but also rented from private owners. The kids are still classified as being in foster care but just not in a family. 

Around November, we ask for a list with the child’s first name only, their age, size, and information on their interests and hobbies.  We spend about $50 per child. Every child receives a box of chocolates and some lollies, a pencil case, gel pens, pencils and a note pad or sketch book, then we buy them something individual, something they have asked for, like make-up, art stuff, Nike tops, fishing gear, all sorts of things which have been requested.