Alice de Zwart-Slamani enjoys opening her family home to teenagers in need of love and support.
For the past three years, the Werribee mum-of-three has been a foster carer.
Ms de Zwart-Slamani and husband Mounir Slamani offer short-term care to teenage girls but have been known to open their home to teenage boys and younger children in need of emergency care.
Since signing up as foster carers after seeing an advertisement calling for more carers in the Wyndham area, the couple have now welcomed 25 children into their home.
At the time, the family had just moved to Werribee from the US and was keen to lend a hand to children in need.
“It’s extremely rewarding knowing you are able to provide a loving and supportive environment for somebody who’s had less than that in their life,” Ms de Zwart-Slamani said.
“It’s nice to know you have enough love and happiness in your house to share. It’s about having laughs around the dinner table and sharing that with somebody.”
Ms de Zwart-Slamani said her own children, aged between 10 and 16, loved having foster children in the house and getting to know new people. The family chose to foster mainly teenage girls, believing they could help them make life-changing decisions.
“With teenagers it’s less parenting, like saying, ‘It’s time to wash your hair’, and more about learning to do banking and getting jobs,” Ms de Zwart-Slamani said. “We want to get them to think about the consequences of decisions. We’re trying to raise understanding, free-thinking kids who understand responsibility.”
Ms de Zwart-Slamani believes being a foster carer has also helped her feel “worthy”. About 10 years ago, she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Five years ago, her condition forced her to stop work.
“I felt like I had no purpose for about 18 months,” she said. “Being a foster carer has filled a big gap in my self-worth.”
Foster Care Week runs until September 20. For more information call 8470 9999.
