Real Kids, Real Carers is a continuing education resource for foster carers. Real Kids, Real Carers is produced by ACWA, with funding from the NSW Department of Community Services.

The resource consists of 6 booklets covering topics of importance to foster carers. Click on the title of a booklet to download it in PDF format. The titles in the series are:

• Independence and connections: caring for adolescents
• I'm an individual: children and young people with disabilities
• Participation: creating opportunities for children and young people to contribute to decision-making
• Reality fostering: the impact of fostering on carers and their families
• Whose job is this?: team work in foster care
• Whose problem is this?: managing and responding to challenging and difficult behaviour.

These booklets provide detailed guides to all activities, including handout material to be photocopied for participants. Each booklet sets out a two-hour education session. These sessions provide an introduction to the topic under discussion, though follow-up sessions may be required to explore the topic in depth.

The learning opportunities will be enhanced if sessions:
- involve an experienced foster carer as part of the training team
- include agency workers as participants

These sessions are designed for all carers, whether very experienced or currently in their first placement. Children of foster carers, particularly those who are older teenagers and young adults, will also benefit from participating in these education sessions.