Samantha Hauge
Chief Executive Officer
Samantha Hauge has led the FCAV as Chief Executive Officer for over 5 years. She has over 30 years’ experience in the Victorian public sector, and 5 years’ experience as a board member at Kidsafe Victoria. Samantha has been a carer for 20 years and, as a long term FCAV member, has been engaged in the carer community, understanding how important connection, support and representation is for carers.
Prior to joining the FCAV, Samantha was CEO of the Coroners Court of Victoria, after establishing and then managing the Court’s Coroners Prevention Unit. Prior to the Court, she worked with the Department of Health and Human Services for 16 years, initially as a child protection worker and later in various managerial positions. During this time, she appeared as a senior court officer at the Children’s Court of Victoria and worked as a senior policy advisor with the Office of Children, Child Protection and Family Services. She has also worked as a counsellor at the Victorian Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect and in other counselling positions in women and children services.
Samantha utilises this expertise to lead the FCAV to advocate for carers and young people, ensuring the FCAV as the peak body for foster care in Victoria, is placed to provide the quality information, support and advocacy services that its members need in their vital role in the lives of children and young people in home-based care.
Prior to joining the FCAV, Samantha was CEO of the Coroners Court of Victoria, after establishing and then managing the Court’s Coroners Prevention Unit. Prior to the Court, she worked with the Department of Health and Human Services for 16 years, initially as a child protection worker and later in various managerial positions. During this time, she appeared as a senior court officer at the Children’s Court of Victoria and worked as a senior policy advisor with the Office of Children, Child Protection and Family Services. She has also worked as a counsellor at the Victorian Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect and in other counselling positions in women and children services.
Samantha utilises this expertise to lead the FCAV to advocate for carers and young people, ensuring the FCAV as the peak body for foster care in Victoria, is placed to provide the quality information, support and advocacy services that its members need in their vital role in the lives of children and young people in home-based care.
VIC
Foster Care Association of VictoriA
As the peak body in Victoria, the Foster Care Association of Victoria is the united voice of foster carers, utilising the largest carer membership in Victoria to advocate for systemic improvements, build partnerships, and nurture respectful relationships. Our vision is to strengthen foster care in Victoria in the knowledge that well supported carers are best placed to provide life-changing opportunities for the children and young people in their care.
We assist carers to navigate the complexities of the system through the provision of advice, learning and development opportunities, information and short-term counselling. We empower carers to have a voice in the decision making, processes and conditions of providing care, including culturally safe care informed by ACCOs’ approach that encompasses expertise in the care of Aboriginal children and the lived and living experience of the community.