This year alone, the ACT needs 100 new foster families to meet the growing demand. In 2017, 67 new families of the required 80 were recruited.

The Vicol-Odell family, who have two boys of their own, started the foster parent training process more than a year ago.

They had initially thought that respite care was more for them, looking after a foster child for one weekend every month.

But in one of the first sessions they heard about a two-year-old child staying in a group home.

"We were horrified by that, because our eldest at that time was two," Mrs Vicol said.

After more than a year of training - "we took our time with it all" - the family graduated from the class. But at that point they weren't quite ready to take on the responsibility of a new child. They were renovating their home and Mrs Vicol, a teacher, wanted to complete the school year.

But life doesn't always go to plan, and a new baby girl - just five weeks of age - joined the family late last year.

"They called us initially when she was four days old, they didn't tell us how old she was though because it was earlier than we said we'd be ready," Mrs Vicol recalled.

"We had this huge dilemma, do we say yes when were not really ready or do we be selfish and think of ourselves. It was really hard but we said no originally, and thankfully they didn't tell us how old she was because there was no way we'd have been able to say no.

But they said to us when you are ready call us back, let us know and we'll go from there. We only lasted a week and a half or two weeks before we called them back."

"We were actually a little bit worried about [how the boys would react] because Millar was not a fan of his little brother when he was born. But they have loved her from day one," Mrs Vicol said.

"The second that we walked in the door with her in a little capsule, Millar walked over and started rocking the capsule and Huxley bent down to give her kisses non stop."

The most challenging part was knowing that one day the baby might be restored to her biological family, Mrs Vicol said.

She said while it would break their hearts, they would always want what was best for the little girl.

Mrs Vicol said explaining that to the children was difficult.

Last year there were more than 800 children living in out of home care in the ACT.

The ACT Together consortium, led by Barnardos, delivers out of home care services under A Step Up for Our Kids and is responsible for recruiting new foster carers.

A government spokesman said everyone had their own reasons for wanting to foster a child.

"There are different reasons for wanting to get involved," the spokesman said.

"Some carers want to provide short term care while others are looking to provide a permanent home."

Last year, 18 per cent of new carers aimed to be long term carers through enduring parental responsibility or adoption, while 40 per cent of new carers aimed to be concurrent carers, supporting the restoration of a child to its birth parents but being committed to take on the responsibility if that can't happen.

Mrs Vicol said their new baby girl "feels like she 100 per cent belongs and was always meant to be here".