Hatch Project- Helping Kids in Foster Care Thrive

The BIG Problem: Tragic Outcomes for Children in Foster Care

Foster care is messy business. Outcomes for children and young people who enter OOHC (Out of Home Care/foster care) consistently demonstrate a failing system. Unfortunately, children in OOHC not only struggle to thrive but also face significant disadvantages and hardships compared to their peers who have not been part of the system. Disturbingly, over half of young people experience homelessness within four years of leaving out-of-home care. They also have poorer educational outcomes, difficulties in obtaining and maintaining employment, higher rates of mental health issues, increased likelihood of incarceration, higher chances of their own children being removed and placed in care, and a higher premature mortality rate.

These problems cannot be attributed to a single factor but rather stem from countless interconnected causes. Regrettably, our current welfare institutions are ill-equipped to manage these complex dynamics, which evolve at a faster rate than traditional interventions can address. This system needs innovation.

The Opportunity to Cause Change: Foster Carer Wellbeing

At Hatch Project, we have dedicated ourselves to understanding these intricate system dynamics using mapping techniques to identify effective points of intervention and generate positive impact. Through this process, we discovered that many foster carers feel overwhelmed, under-resourced, and ill-prepared for their role. They often feel unheard and disempowered when it comes to making decisions that could enhance the care they provide for the children placed with them. Despite these challenges, foster carers are expected to undertake one of the most demanding and vital jobs in our society: nurturing and caring for children who have experienced trauma and abuse.

Our Response: A Community for Carers to Find Nurture, Connection and Empowerment

To address this problem, Hatch Project has designed and implemented an innovative online platform in collaboration with foster carers. This platform harnesses specially created software for community engagement and takes the form of a foster carer forum—a space that promotes active engagement and collaboration among its users. Here, foster carers can connect, learn, and advocate for positive change within a supportive community. The platform provides tailored resources and facilitates meaningful engagement. Our research suggests that by enhancing foster carer wellbeing, we can achieve positive outcomes such as increased numbers of foster carers, placement stability, and carers who are better equipped, both physically and emotionally, to meet the needs of the children in their care. In the coming years, we anticipate establishing measurable evidence of how improved carer wellbeing, facilitated by our platform, leads to better outcomes for children in care.

Our Impact So Far

Since its launch in March 2023, our pilot program has already made significant progress. We continue to learn, grow, and overcome obstacles, including fostering trust and addressing the concerns of foster carers, which has led to high-quality community engagement. Feedback from the community indicates that the forum offers unique support and valuable content not found in their existing networks. User numbers are growing, and meaningful engagement is evident.

YOUR contribution

By contributing to the fundraising effort for Hatch Project, you directly support sustaining and expanding this innovative platform. The project has been philanthropically funded to date, removing any conflict of interest, and allowing Hatch many freedoms in decision making. Your donation will ensure operations of the community can continue for a further six months. We are currently seeking a commitment from philanthropic investors, as a longer term strategy to grow the platform. We also have plans to establish Hatch Project as a not-for-profit charity.

Join us in creating lasting change in the lives of foster carers and the children in their care. While transforming the life of a foster child may take a generation, Hatch Project is well on its way to making a tangible impact.