What does Foetal Alcohol Syndrome mean?
Lucy Stevens - 9th March 2022
Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), also known as Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, can have a long term impact on a child from the womb through to adulthood. It's important our foster carers know about the condition, which impacts around one per cent of all babies born, as it can have a significant impact on a child's emotional and physical development and growth. Children with FAS may encounter difficulties other children will not face. Foetal Alcohol Syndrome is a condition that results from consumption of alcohol during pregnancy. Foetal Alcohol Syndrome is one of the largest causes of disability and birth defects in children. As with any spectrum condition, children with FAS may have a range of symptoms, varying in significance, in
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Fostering good habits: the importance of record keeping in fostering.
Lucy Stevens - 8th March 2022
All foster carers who care for children through Eastern Fostering Services need to write a weekly report on the child/children they are fostering. These records are typed, protected with a password and sent to the Supervising Social Worker every week. These records are sent on to Local Authority Social Workers enabling them to fully understand what life is like for the children and how they can best support them at any given time. Why are weekly recordings needed? Good and regular record keeping is important for many reasons: Regular recordings as to the progress of the child in many areas of their development allow professionals to identify and advocate for the needs of the child. They may allow fostering professionals
Tags: applying to be a foster carer, becoming a foster carer, Cambridgeshire, Eastern Fostering Services, foster care, fostering, Fostering Cambridgeshire, fostering Essex, fostering 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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Am I too old to foster?
Lucy Stevens - 28th January 2022
Here at Eastern Fostering Services, we often hear people say, “I’d love to foster but I’m too old!” But are you? The age guidelines for fostering state that a foster carer needs to be above the age of 21, these guidelines tend to be set by individual fostering providers so it is always worth checking. It’s important to know that there are actually no legal limits set on age, so in theory anyone over the age of 18 can foster. There is no upper age limit for fostering. When assessing people’s capacity to foster, what is more important than age is the life experience that a propsective foster carer can bring to the table. If a fostering provider rejects an
Tags: applying to be a foster carer, becoming a foster carer, Eastern Fostering Services, fostering, Fostering Cambridgeshire, fostering Essex, fostering Suffolk
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How do Foster Carers support children who have experienced domestic abuse?
Lucy Stevens - 24th January 2022
A high proportion of children who are looked after by foster carers have witnessed some degree of domestic abuse. Exposure to domestic violence is one of the main factors leading to social care involvement in the lives of children and we have seen incidences of domestic abuse increase over the last year during the Covid pandemic. What is domestic abuse? The term domestic abuse covers a range of behaviours which are at their root violent, threatening, controlling or coercive. Often domestic abuse occurs between parents, partners, ex-partners or family members. It can also occur between children and includes: Physical abuseEmotional abuseThreatening behaviourIntimidationSexual abuseFinancial controlCoercion and controlling behaviourForced marriageHonour based violenceOnline or text/ non face to face abuse How does domestic
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Life After Fostering
Lucy Stevens - 14th January 2022
What happens to young people in foster care once they reach 18? One of the benefits of growing up in a stable family is that when you reach 18, you have a safe base from which to explore your options. Many young people undergo great change at 18. They may start a new job, get an apprenticeship, go to university or move out of home for the first time. Yet many of these young people enjoy the safety net of a home to return to should all not go as planned. For many young people who have spent time in foster care, this safety net is not there. All the usual anxieties around reaching adulthood and how that’s going to
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New year, new role?
Lucy Stevens - 6th January 2022
Could 2022 be the year you start your fostering journey? At this time of year many people begin to re- evaluate and start to think about a change of direction, perhaps hoping to pursue a role which will bring more meaning and satisfaction to their lives. If you have ever thought about fostering, 2022 could be the time to pursue a new and rewarding vocation which could help change the life of a child for the better and bring you associated rewards. With the numbers of children in care significantly increasing (now over 80,000 in England according to Government statistics) we need more caring and compassionate foster carers who can welcome children into their homes and provide them with the
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