HOMELESS AT 15, NOW ROSE IS ON A MISSION TO FIX AUSTRALIA'S FOSTER CARE CRISIS
Sometimes it only takes one person to change a life.
For Rose Taylor, that person was a teacher who noticed she was struggling and stepped in to become her foster care parent.
Now 43, the Newcastle woman is using her own story to help other children find the same kind of safe place to land.
A childhood in foster care
Rose's story, shared with the ABC, is not an easy one to read.
At just 12, she was taken out of school without warning by case managers who told her she was not safe with her parents.
By the time she was almost 16, she had lived in five different foster placements, two refuges and a semi-independent living programme.
At 15, she was living on the streets of Parramatta and Liverpool in Sydney.
She has said that at the time, if she could not have her own family, she did not want anyone.
Then a teacher saw what was happening and decided to do something about it.
That teacher became her carer and later found a colleague to help look after her full time.
With more than a year of stability, Rose was able to finish school.
Looking back, she told the ABC: "I genuinely wonder if I would still be alive at 43."
From survivor to recruiter
Today, Rose has a family of her own and a job dedicated to helping other children.
She works as an operations manager at the not-for-profit Life Without Barriers in Newcastle, where part of her role is recruiting new foster carers.
She has decided to speak up because Australia is facing a national shortage of carers.
And the numbers are sobering.
According to figures from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare cited by the ABC, there were about 9,000 foster care households across the country in June 2021.
By June 2025, that had fallen to about 5,900.
Life Without Barriers says around 45,000 children across Australia need care.
Why the foster care shortage is growing
Deanne Carroll, who heads youth and family services for Life Without Barriers in NSW, told the ABC that becoming a carer has become out of reach for some people.
She pointed to rising cost-of-living pressures as part of the problem.
Social changes since the COVID-19 pandemic have also been cited as contributing to the drop in carer numbers.
It is easy to see why so many would-be carers are hesitating.
With mortgages, rent and grocery bills climbing, many families feel stretched thin before they even think about welcoming another child into the home.
Could you help?
Rose's story is a powerful reminder that ordinary people can make an extraordinary difference.
Her teacher was not a superhero, just someone who noticed, cared and acted.
If you have ever wondered whether you could be a foster carer, a good first step is simply to find out more.
Life Without Barriers has information on its foster care page for people who are curious about getting started.
Your state or territory's child protection department can also explain what is involved where you live.
Not everyone is in a position to foster, and that is perfectly fine.
There are other ways to help, too, from supporting a friend who is a carer to sharing stories like Rose's so more people hear the call.
A happy ending, and a new beginning
Rose could have been just another sad statistic.
Instead, she has built a life, raised a family and turned her hardest years into a reason to help others.
Somewhere right now, there is a child who needs a teacher like hers.
Maybe, just maybe, the person reading this could be that someone.
