News

Tracy and John Connolly have cared for more than 80 foster children 

One recent evening, John and Tracy Connolly’s home was filled with the happy sounds of seven children, four of whom she was baby-sitting that day. John, after a long day’s work, played with the kids and then on cue helped Tracy with feeding, washing and settling the seven.

There was no chaos.

“There’s routine!” declares Tracy. “If you have set times and keep strictly to them, it all works out. Consistency makes the whole house work.”

The Western Sydney couple, in their fifties and sixties, help children grasp the normal rhythms of a home. It’s a skill they’ve honed after caring for more than 80 foster children, in addition to raising four biological children. Their first experience as foster carers began with a baby just a day and a half old, whom they have since adopted and who is in Tracy’s words their forever daughter.

John and Tracy have been foster carers for 17 years, 14 of them with MacKillop Family Services. They started by looking after children aged eight and under. “We had our three young boys at the time, so caring for younger children worked well,” Tracy explains. “Eventually, I gave up work to become a full-time foster carer, and we have provided emergency, respite, pre-adoptive and short-term care, in addition to caring for two children long-term.

This gradually evolved into looking after mostly infants and babies – and loving it.

“I couldn’t live my life any other way. Me giving these kids a home and normality it’s something to wake up for every day!”

Their aim whenever a child is placed with them is to give them a good life while with them, and to help them feel loved.

“They’re not your kids and you can’t fix all their worries, but we can help them get through,” says Tracy. “It’s about helping them feel like part of a family, even if it’s temporary. There’s something special about being part of their journey to stability, and seeing them grow to trust you.”

The Connollys were under fifty when they began fostering, but the added years haven’t slowed down their passion for what they do.

“I don’t think about my age, and if John ever said ‘I’m too old for this’ we would definitely talk it through. But he hasn’t, and he finds so much joy in the kids.

“These children are our future; it’s our job as elders in our community to pass love on to children, and to help them fulfill their potential.”

Tracy is the first to explain that fostering requires resilience. “You need ‘leather skin’ to cope with the ups and downs of the foster care system sometimes, but communication is key.

“I’ve always had strong, open relationships with the agencies, caseworkers, and the birth families. MacKillop has been particularly supportive, always listening to me advocate for the children and going above and beyond. That level of collaboration is what helps things work for the kids.”

What advice does Tracy have for those thinking about fostering?

“Ask questions. Learn more about it and see what you think. Many people start by dipping their toes in, perhaps with part-time care for a weekend.

“There’s such a need for more carers, and people of all ages can make a real difference. At the end of the day, what determines your ability to foster are compassion and commitment.”

And, of course, routine to help the whole thing work.

MacKillop invites you to ask any question you’d like by calling 1300 791 677, or visiting mackillop.org.au/fostercare