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        Tag archives: Essex

        Extensive training and development
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        Foster carers needed in Essex, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire

        Lucy Stevens - 30th December 2022

        Local children need local foster carers In the UK, there are now more children than ever in need of foster carers. Children in Essex, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire are no exception. Our children need local foster carers who can keep them in education, in local communities and near to the people who are important to them. Which children need foster carers? There are children in every age group who are in need of a nurturing foster carer. From young sibling groups, teenagers, mother and babies, children with additional needs and unaccompanied children. The list goes on. By far the most typical children are sibling groups and young people between the ages of 10 to 16. What does it take to foster?

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        Local children need local Foster Carers

        Lucy Stevens - 27th December 2022

        Fostering shortfall According to the Fostering Network, children in the East of England need approximately 700 additional foster carers. Moreover these children are paying a hefty price for the shortfall. The importance of being local Many children in foster care have a powerful need to be near the familiar. Often, school or friendship groups might be the only positive thing in their lives. Therefore, when children are taken away from both family and friends or school they are devastated. "We believe that children in foster care deserve a sensitive matching with carers," says Eleanor Newman of Eastern Fostering Services. "However, we are finding it increasingly hard to match children because of a lack of carers. This means we are unable

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        What qualifications do you need to be a foster carer?

        Lucy Stevens - 10th January 2019

        The short answer to the question of what qualifications foster carers need is none! So what do we look for in foster carers? Whilst foster carers do not need formal qualifications, there are qualities that we look for. Foster carers need to be resilient. During the fostering assessment resilience is looked at and foster carers can cite their life experience to evidence this. Foster carers need to have emotional intelligence, empathy and kindness. Because many looked after children have specific emotional needs. But don't worry if you don't know a lot about the ins and outs of fostering. Foster carers undergo training as part of their assessment. Whilst it is helpful to have experience of children and child care, even this is

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        Which children are most in need of foster carers?

        Lucy Stevens - 26th September 2018

        Every month we get between 150 and 190 referrals for children who are in need of foster carers. Contrary to popular belief these are not all tiny babies; rather they include a variety of children and young people. This month we have had numerous requests for carers for young mothers and their babies, small and large sibling groups and children entering or well-established into their teen years. To cope with the demand for carers across a wide range of children, we need carers of all sorts. There isn’t a “one size fits all” mould for carers. Carers can be of all backgrounds, religious persuasion, sexuality, race or standing. What we hope to find in potential carers is a desire to

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        Your fostering questions answered – personal checks and references

        Lucy Stevens - 26th July 2018

        What personal checks and references are needed for my assessment to become a foster carer? And why? Eastern Fostering Services wants to recruit foster carers who can meet the individual needs of children and young people and provide them with a safe and nurturing environment in which to grow. When they apply, all prospective foster carers undergo a fostering assessment which takes on average 4-6 months. The assessment includes: An initial home visit A medical report – carried out by the GP and paid for by EFS At least 3 personal references Identity checks including an enhanced DBS Previous partner references Health and Safety assessments 6-10 home visits and interviews including some with birth children and other household members A

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        Do I get paid to be a foster carer?

        Lucy Stevens - 17th July 2018

        When it comes to fostering, money is an emotive and often controversial topic of conversation. Nonetheless, in the interest of answering the questions we get about finances, it is a topic we’d like to address. We’d like to start out by making it clear that good foster carers are always motivated by a deep desire to make a positive difference in the lives of children. The best foster carers seek to nurture, love and advocate for the children in their care. In our experience, very few carers are ever motivated by financial gain and it is very important to us that they are not. However, one cannot escape the fact that it costs money to raise a child and it

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        Fostering and the spare room

        Lucy Stevens - 29th June 2018

        Do I need a spare room to foster? We've talked to many people interested in fostering in Essex, Cambridgeshire and Suffolk. One of the most common questions is "Why do I need a spare room in order to foster?" The short answer is that it is a mandatory requirement to have a spare bedroom to dedicate to fostering when you apply to be a foster carer. Many people find this frustrating and we often get further questions asking us why this policy exists for foster carers. Would you move into a house and share a bedroom with a complete stranger? Moving in with a new foster family is a frightening and confusing time for children, no matter how young or

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        Why do I need a spare room in order to foster?

        Lucy Stevens - 27th June 2018

        This is a question we still get asked a lot! So we thought we’d tackle it as the first topic in our series of videos answering your most common fostering questions. The short answer is that it is a mandatory requirement to have a spare bedroom to dedicate to fostering when you apply to be a foster carer*. Many people find this very frustrating and we often get further questions asking us why this policy exists for Local Authorities and Fostering Providers. Here are just a few reasons: Would you move into a house and share a bedroom with a complete stranger? Moving in with a new foster family is a frightening and confusing time for children, no matter how

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        Your Fostering Questions

        Lucy Stevens - 5th June 2018

        When thinking about fostering, there are many common questions people ask. Speaking to people in Essex, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire about fostering, we've heard some common questions. Here are our responses to frequent questions about fostering. Am I too old to foster? There is no upper age limit for foster carers. There is a lower age limit of 21. Generally, in order to foster you need to be in reasonably good health with good physical and emotional resilience. Many foster carers have health conditions which they manage alongside fostering so don't let this put you off! Can I foster if I don't own my own home? Yes, as long as a secure tenancy is in place there is no need for

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        Foster Care Fortnight is here

        Lucy Stevens - 14th May 2018

        What is Foster Care Fortnight? Foster Care Fortnight starts today. Foster Care Fortnight is a national campaign run every year by the Fostering Network. It aims to increase awareness around fostering and promote its benefits in order to recruit more foster carers. This year the campaign slogan is #ProudToFoster and focuses on how varied a group foster carers are and so showing that people from any walk of life can foster. They have even produced a short film featuring one of our carers. Here at Eastern Fostering Services, we have asked our carers to produce their own short film and a blog. You can see these on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/EasternFosteringServices To celebrate Foster Care Fortnight we will be

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