Adoption is when biological parents give up all rights to their child, passing these rights to the adoptive parents, who assume all parental rights and responsibilities.

Foster Parents are administered by Family and Community Services (FACS). FACS makes all the decisions regarding the child’s care, schooling, medical, contact with others in the family home, access to holidays and visitation by biological parents.

An individual will become a step-parent when they form a relationship with another adult who has children from a previous relationship.

Step-parents have no legal rights over the child; this can make decision making difficult for this parent. The attitude towards a step-parent may be influenced by the age of the children and the biological parents.

A surrogate is a woman who gives birth to a child on behalf of a couple who are either infertile or same sex.

There are no specific laws supporting surrogacy, which make this type of social parenting difficult. Paying of a surrogate in Australia is illegal, so couples may travel overseas to seek a surrogate.

The surrogate relies on the use of reproductive technology to fall pregnant and because of this she will be deemed the mother of the child by the courts.

These are paid carers or volunteers who work in structured organisations. These carers choose to take on this role for various reasons, including career development, for example volunteering with aged care to become a nurse.

Formal care means access to economic resources to ensure their needs are met.

Formal carers will also usually care because they enjoy helping others and their personality lends itself to nurturing and fulfilling others needs.

Includes any person, such as a family member, friend or neighbour who is giving regular, ongoing assistance to another person without payment.

More often, these carers are women. An example is a grandmother who cares for her three year old granddaughter twice a week while her parents are at work. Reasons for people taking on the role of informal carer include family responsibility, able to provide the best care and emotional obligation.

Health is holistic and encompasses physical, social, emotional, spiritual and cultural health.

Changing health behaviours may mean that expectant mothers modify their diets, while carers need to increase their intake to ensure they have the energy to care for themselves and others. For example, including Folate in the mother’s diet.

For a carer having to look after the elderly or physically disabled they may have to learn lifting techniques. To cope with the new situation, parents and carers will need a support structure in place and they may have to make new social or spiritual connections.

Ensuring there are enough economic resources to cover needs is essential to organise finances. Creating a clear budget, recognising any money coming into the situation and what will need to be caught or paid for will help parents and carers preparing for their circumstances.

Prior savings can be used for initial outlay of purchases, however, depending on the situation, savings may need to be used sparingly to enable more time away from work, especially if the dependant will need long-term care.

Changing the environment by modifying the house, moving, buying new equipment and adding amenities to meet the needs of a dependant is important when preparing for a new parenting/caring situation.

In situations where the mobility of the dependant becomes an issue, widening doorways to suit wheelchairs or walkers, installing ramps and hand rails, and increasing the lighting to reduce risks of falls are all steps new carers can implement to fulfil duty of care responsibilities.

Equipment may also need to be purchased or hired to support bathing and toiling.

For new parents, preparing a nursery will involve safe sleeping solutions such as a cot or bassinet, temperature control to reduce the risk of SIDs and baby proofing the house.

In order to cope with situations that are different or new, a new parent or carer can increase their understanding by going to courses, reading books, blogs, and information booklets, and talking to experts.

Seeking out support groups will enhance the knowledge of parents and carers to find out new strategies that have worked in similar situations.

Attending a training course, such as an antenatal class, will give hands-on skills and teach expectant parents some skills so that they may cope in new circumstances.

This style of parent displays strict rules and limits. There is a clear expectation that dependants will follow the rules, and if they are broken, the consequences will be harsh.

There may be a lot of experiences but limited freedom within those choices to relax and have fun.

Communication is clear, but the tone is firm, there is no negotiation.

This style of parenting will aim to satisfy all needs. The parent may aim to build a positive relationship; however, young people may not respond to this style.

When limits are pushed and young people try to establish independence, conflict and stress may occur, limiting the promotion of wellbeing.

This style of parenting/caring relies on the lines of communication to be clear; equality in the decision-making process and discussion when negotiating limits and rules are key characteristics of this style.

Through the time spent with the dependant their behaviour will lift to that expected of the parent/carer.

If the dependant does not lift, the consequences are clear and related.

The trust placed on the dependant to do the right thing encourages the building of positive relationships. Open, honest and trusting words are used to describe this style of parenting.

This style of parenting will satisfy all specific needs, including a sense of identity. These dependants are able to make their own mistakes, accept them, learn from them which encourage independence.

How is wellbeing enhanced here?

This style of parenting is very lenient. There are few demands on the child, and they are free to behave however they choose.

Indulgent parenting/caring is characterised by parents/carers being highly involved in all aspects of the dependant’s life, but few demands and limits are set.

If limits are broken, responsibility is not taken and blame is placed elsewhere.

This form of parenting/caring may be confusing for the child; however, the confusion is superseded by the lack of demand and freedom.

It may be difficult to develop a positive relationship with this dependant as relationships rely on give and take, and this dependant has only experienced take.

How is wellbeing affected here?

How are the needs of the dependant met?

This is when the dependants needs are not satisfied.

This dependant may never experience the general feeling of satisfaction relating to wellbeing, as they have had to strive to achieve it with little direction.

In negligent parenting/caring cases, government agencies may remove the dependant from care and place them with a loving family who can satisfy their basic needs and aim to develop the positive relationship.

Are the structured organisations that are either profitable or not for profit community organisations or charities. For example, a private psychologist vs. the Salvation Army Counselling Service.

The Government also provides support support through agencies such as the Department of Families and Communities and Centrelink. Support is usually from trained workers and offers either specific or a range of supports.

When a parent or carer cannot fulfil their responsibilities, they may access support from an external source. Informal support acts as an extra set of human resources, bringing in new skills and more time to the situation. With more resources, parents and carers are more likely to be able to prepare for their roles, fulfil their responsibilities and thus maintain their own wellbeing.