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
Tags: Cambridgeshire, do foster carers get paid?, Essex, foster carers, Fostering Cambridgeshire, fostering Essex, fostering locally, fostering qualifications, fostering Suffolk, local fostering, Peterborough, Southend, Suffolk
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What Does It Mean To Be A Foster Parent?
Lucy Stevens - 3rd March 2022
Foster parenting in the UK can often seem like a complex and difficult thing to get your head around. From whether you can even foster in the first place (hint: check our FAQs and you might be surprised) to what it actually means emotionally to be a foster parent. To foster a child or children is a wonderful thing; not only are you providing love, care and support but you're giving young people the chance to have a stable and enriched upbringing, something they may have been lacking previously. So what are the main responsibilities when it comes to fostering a child? What does it mean to be a foster parent? There are challenges with looking after and raising any
Tags: applying to be a foster carer, becoming a foster carer, Cambridgeshire, Eastern Fostering Services, foster care, fostering, Fostering Cambridgeshire, fostering Essex, fostering Suffolk, Suffolk
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Could you foster a child with Autism?
Veronica Jones - 23rd February 2022
Fostering a child with Autism (Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)) can be an amazing and rewarding experience, but can come with certain challenges and it can therefore sometimes prove difficult to find foster carers who understand the best way to look after children with autism. What is ASD? Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition, which is characterised by difficulties with social interaction and communication and often includes repetitive behaviours. However, because autism is a spectrum condition it affects children in different ways. So, whilst some children will need intensive support others may just need clearer communication and a little longer to do things. Whilst no two children with autism are the same, there are some common characteristics including – Difficulty reading other
Tags: applying to be a foster carer, becoming a foster carer, Cambridgeshire, Eastern Fostering Services, foster care, fostering, Fostering Cambridgeshire, fostering Essex, fostering Suffolk, Suffolk
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Can I foster if I…?
Lucy Stevens - 8th February 2022
Last week we looked at some of the common misconceptions that people hold about who can and who can’t foster. This week we’ll look at some other things prospective foster carers ask us when they’re trying to decide if they are suited to fostering. Can I foster if I haven’t had my own children? You don’t need to have had your own children to be able to foster. It’s clear that having experience of caring for children and knowledge of child development is crucial when it comes to fostering. However, people gain experience of children and young people in many ways: through work, through volunteering, through family and friends. Can I foster if I have had a difficult childhood? Yes!
Tags: applying to be a foster carer, becoming a foster carer, Cambridgeshire, Eastern Fostering Services, foster care, fostering, Fostering Cambridgeshire, fostering Essex, fostering Suffolk, Suffolk
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Can I foster if I…
Lucy Stevens - 3rd February 2022
There are still many myths surrounding fostering which we would really like to dispel. In this week’s blog, we’ll look at some of the personal circumstances that you may think are an obstacle to fostering but which, in fact, don’t have to be. Can I foster if I don’t own my own home? In short, yes you can! Fostering providers will want to ensure that, wherever you live and whether you own or rent your property, you have stability. Many foster carers rent their properties rather than own them. What is more important is that you have a spare, dedicated bedroom available for fostering. Can I foster if I have a disability? Having a disability does not have to prevent
Tags: applying to be a foster carer, becoming a foster carer, Cambridgeshire, foster care, fostering, Fostering Cambridgeshire, fostering Essex, fostering Suffolk, Suffolk
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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
Tags: Essex, Essex fostering, foster care, foster carer, fostering assessment, Fostering Cambridgeshire, fostering in Essex, fostering in Suffolk, fostering qualifications, fostering training, looked after children, qualifications to foster, Suffolk, Suffolk fostering, training for foster carers
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Do I get paid to foster?
Lucy Stevens - 14th November 2018
Do I get paid to foster? When it comes to fostering, money is an emotive topic of conversation. Nonetheless, people ask "Do I get paid to foster?" and in order to answer the questions we get about finances, it's a topic we’d like to address. We’d like to make it clear that good foster carers are motivated by a 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 money and it is very important to us that they are not. However, one cannot escape the fact that it costs money to raise
Tags: Do I get paid to foster?, Essex fostering, finances, fostering, fostering allowance, Fostering Cambridgeshire, fostering Essex, fostering finances, fostering in Suffolk, fostering information, fostering money, fostering pay, fostering service, fostering Suffolk, Suffolk, Suffolk fostering
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Why foster?
Lucy Stevens - 6th September 2018
“Why am I doing this?” is a question all foster carers will ask themselves at some point and it’s an important question to ask yourself as it enables you to keep your motivations central to your fostering experience. So why do people foster? Most people who foster feel passionately about the wellbeing of children. They want to give opportunities to children who may not have had the best start in life; they want to share something of themselves, if you like. For many, this is not centred around sharing material wealth, this is about loving, nurturing and caring for a child and for others there is a sense that “I have so much and want to share it.” Most foster
Tags: #ProudToFoster, applying to be a foster carer, becoming a foster carer, Cambridgeshire, Eastern Fostering Services, foster carer, fostering, Fostering Cambridgeshire, fostering Essex, fostering service, fostering Suffolk, how to foster, money for foster carers, skills to foster, Spare room, Suffolk, The Fostering Network
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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
Tags: #ProudToFoster, #ProudToSupportFostering, applying to be a foster carer, becoming a foster carer, Cambridgeshire, Eastern Fostering Services, Essex, Fostering Cambridgeshire, fostering Essex, fostering Suffolk, Suffolk, The Fostering Network
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