For Katrina Cheverton, being a foster carer runs in the family.
Ms Cheverton, from Junee in NSW's Riverina, fosters boys and has one biological daughter, said her grandmother and her mother were both foster carers before her.
"Now I've been a foster carer for six years and had three of my guys for that long too," she said.
"They're my children. I treat them the same as I would any other child.
Ms Cheverton, who fosters through Anglicare, is just one carer will be celebrated in this year's 'Foster and Kinship Care Week' which runs from September 13 to 19.
"You don't do it for the rewards or anything like that but when other people can see the growth and the change and them setting little goals, it's just so worth it," Ms Cheverton said.
350 homes are currently needed across NSW to provide different levels of care for children, from emergency to regular part time care through to full time arrangements.
My Forever Family NSW spokesperson Michelle Stacpoole said foster families had been facing "a whole host of issues" posed by coronavirus.
"There's anxiety and uncertainty for both carers and the families who look after them," Ms Stacpoole said.
"Issues such as homeschooling. This was especially difficult for grandparent carers.
"We've had questions and uncertainty around case management issues. So home visits and the what contact with the birth family looks like in these challenging times."
Ms Stacpoole said her organisation had created a series of 'online loungerooms' in response, to provide support to foster parents.
Ms Cheverton said her family had faced some challenges early in the COVID-19 pandemic, including homeschooling her children and attending all of their medical appointments virtually.
"That was a little tough, because they're all high needs ... but the teachers were really good with supplying school stuff," she said.
"It's good to have them back and in a routine - they do need that, these guys."
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Ms Stacpoole said there had been an uptake in part-time foster care across the state, but more carers were still "critically needed".
"We are always looking for carers in regional NSW," she said.
"And if people do have an opportunity where, for a short period of time even, they're able to provide a safe space for a child or young person then we encourage them to get in touch."
Marymead carer development leader Karen Connors said her organisation was trying to reduce the impact of COVID-19 on children in out of home care as much as possible.
"I think one of the things we have seen increase is the request from our regular, long-term carers for respite care," she said.
"Initially when things were pretty locked down and kids were home from school, I think it was quite difficult for a lot of the carers because children who already have trauma can be very easily heightened by other concerns and issues that are happening.
"We rearranged how a lot of things were done and our carers were amazing and coped really well with that.
For more information about becoming a respite, short-term or long-term foster carer visit www.anglicare.com.au; www.marymead.org.au; or www.myforeverfamily.org.au