Fostering: a child’s view – J’s story.
Lucy Stevens - 6th January 2023
My name’s J. I’m 15. I can’t live with my mum any more. I don’t really want to talk about it but let’s just say I can’t relax at home. My dad and step-mum have a new baby and no room for me. I wouldn’t want to live there anyway. You don’t want to be somewhere you’re not wanted do you? So I’m just kipping on mates’ sofas until their parents have enough of me and it’s time to move on. I can do what I want, when I want. No-one notices. I’m supposed to be having my mocks at the moment. I like school actually. I like learning new stuff, like how things work. Science stuff. But outside of
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New year, new role?
Lucy Stevens - 3rd January 2023
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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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?
Tags: Cambridgeshire, Essex, Essex fostering, foster care, foster carer, fostering, fostering agency, fostering allowance, Fostering Cambridgeshire, fostering Essex, fostering in Essex, fostering in Suffolk, fostering money, fostering qualifications, fostering service, fostering Suffolk, local fostering, mother and baby fostering, Suffolk, Suffolk fostering
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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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Fostering at Christmas
Lucy Stevens - 23rd December 2022
For many children, Christmas is a magical time. They are at fever pitch over the sparkling lights, the decorations, sweets and presents, and the prospect of Father Christmas. Christmas consolidates that feeling of being loved and safe in the heart of a family who is in celebratory mood. But for many children and young people living in foster care, Christmas is a really difficult time. A darker side of Christmas. The traditions that so define this time of year can act as triggers for children in foster care who have had adverse childhood experiences. These triggers could be anything from the sight and smell of alcohol to loud music or noises, laughter and booming voices. Sensorial experiences like these can
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Why I love being part of a team who is making a difference in the lives of children and young people.
Lucy Stevens - 20th December 2022
Supervising social worker, Sam Grant, tells us what it is she likes about her role at Eastern Fostering Services. I’m Sam and I’m a supervising social worker at Eastern Fostering Services. This means I support and advocate for Foster Carers and the children they care for. My role includes: Emotional and practical support to foster carers through regular supervisionIdentifying and supporting foster carer training and development needsDesigning and delivering trainingAdvocating for the foster carers and the children to professionals in social care, education, health and well-beingWorking with professionals to deliver the best outcomes for childrenSupporting the carers in fostering review meetings, educational meetings and in promoting additional support for children and carersOrganising social events for children and carers to help
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Thinking of fostering? Good fostering support is a must.
Lucy Stevens - 16th December 2022
We believe fostering has a huge role to play in society. Foster carers look after some of our most vulnerable children. It is massively rewarding but requires grit, determination, and commitment. Having good fostering support from your provider is essential in ensuring a successful and enjoyable fostering experience, not just for carers but for the children and young people too. If you’re starting out on your fostering journey, here are some things you’ll need to think about when deciding which fostering provider to go for. Children don’t stick to office hours. Support should be available whenever you need it. The life of a foster carer can be unpredictable at times. When you foster, you need to know that you can
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When fostering comes to an end
Tracie Baker - 13th December 2022
Over the years, I’ve had children leave my care for all sorts of reasons. That’s because fostering is so diverse. Not only because each child is unique but also because each child comes to you with their own specific care plan (set out by the Local Authority) and their own specific ideas about how things should be (set out by the child!) For parent and child fostering, the parent is often being assessed as part of the placement, meaning that there is usually a defined length of time for it. I’ve had mums who have been successful in their parenting assessment and have gone on to do well with their baby, I’ve had mums who have been unable to cope
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Fostering unaccompanied young people – Ahmed’s story
Veronica Jones - 18th November 2022
The film that Eastern Fostering Services are featuring this week "Fostering unaccompanied young people" was aired on Look East earlier this year. It tells the story of a young man who was just 14 when he arrived in the UK and was moved to one of our foster carers. We asked our carer to tell us what it was like to foster him and how he is doing today. https://youtu.be/2vVEKaGj7To It was quite late in the evening when our foster son arrived on our doorstep. He was our first foster child and I remember feeling apprehensive. My two young children were in bed, settled. Tomorrow they would wake to a family of 5. It was a night of great unknowns.
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John Lewis shines a Christmas light on fostering – could you?
Lucy Stevens - 11th November 2022
John Lewis and Christmas advertising have become synonymous over recent years. This year, for the first time, they have produced an advert which puts fostering firmly at its centre. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1z0jfP2gCIs The advert shows one man’s desperate attempt to master skateboarding, encouraged through the bumps and scrapes by his partner. At the end of the advertisement, we understand why as a teenager is brought to the fostering household by her social worker. We’re really thrilled to see that fostering has come under the spotlight, that John Lewis has recognised the most vulnerable group in our society. But in addition to this they have highlighted the vulnerability that foster carers allow themselves in their approach to caring for each child as an
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