At A Better Life For Foster Kids, we exist for the quiet moments that often go unnoticed the first night in a new home, the small voice asking “Where do I sleep?”, the carer scrambling to find a pair of pyjamas that fit.
We’re here for those moments. Because they matter.
Founded in 2014 and based in Gippsland, Victoria, A Better Life For Foster Kids is a grassroots charity with a big heart and a clear mission: to improve the wellbeing, dignity and future outcomes of children in foster and kinship care.
We support the people at the heart of the care journey — the children entering care, the carers opening their homes, and the young people finding their way forward after leaving the system.
Heather and the team regularly advocate in media and to government for better mental health access, more stable placements, and fairer carer support. We don’t just fill cracks — we try to stop kids from falling through them
Wellington Shire Australia Day Awards
LG Local Legends
A life lived. A voice raised. A better way forward.
Heather Baird was just two and a half when she entered the foster care system — moving between orphanages and homes, often without belongings, support, or explanation. One memory never left her: standing in the schoolyard wearing clothes so old they marked her before she ever spoke. That quiet longing for dignity planted a seed that would grow into something much bigger.
Years later, after navigating life beyond care alone, Heather made a promise to help others like her. What began with one suitcase and a heart full of purpose has become A Better Life For Foster Kids — a grassroots charity built on lived experience, empathy, and action.
Heather still shows up every day — packing Crisis Cases, meeting carers, and sharing her story not for sympathy, but to remind us why this work matters.
Partnering with A Better Life For Foster Kids means investing in brighter futures for children and families in Victoria. Together, we can create safer, happier homes and stronger support networks
