'Nothing more rewarding': Berkeley mum describes 26 years as a foster carer

The Berkeley mum's home has been shared by countless children, her dining table a constantly revolving cast of toothy smiles and skinned knees.

And while every day isn't easy, the chance to change a little life is worth it every time, she said.

"You don't forget a single one of them, I remember all of their faces," Ms Phillips said.

Two children who joined Ms Phillips' table never left, and are still coming back for dinner 20 years later.

Ms Phillips came into the care of kids Stacey and Blade in 2001 for what was meant to be a short-term stay, but has turned into a lifetime.

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Now, the pair are 26 and 21, and Stacey is expecting her first baby.

They still come to dinner several times a week.

"They are my kids - I share them with their mum, but they're my parents' grandchildren," Ms Phillips said.

The Illawarra is in urgent need of foster carers, according to the Department of Communities and Justice, and they're putting out the call.

According to Wollongong's 2020 State of the Children report, the Illawarra has a significantly higher proportion of children in out-of-home care compared to the rest of NSW.

Rates of children in non-government foster care organisations are double in the Illawarra, at almost 200 children per 100,000.

For Ms Phillips, becoming a foster carer was something always on her mind.

"It was something I always wanted to do, I think...I got my first job and sponsored a child," she said.

While some days are always going to be difficult, the good outweighs the bad tenfold.

"These children come along and some of them are so damaged and so traumatised...it's not going to be smooth sailing," she said.

"There are times when it's really hard but tomorrow is always a new day."

Ms Phillips describes the feeling of connecting with a child and overcoming barriers as incomparable.

"Some kids come in fighting and just overcoming that is the best feeling," she said.

"There's nothing more rewarding."

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Anyone can be a foster carer, Ms Phillips said. There's no special trick, or reason she's stuck with it.

"People say to me, 'how do you do it?', and I think, 'how do you not?'," she said.

"These kids, there's hope for all of them....sometimes they just need that little bit of guidance."

People interested in becoming a foster carer can call My Forever Family on 1300 782 975.

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