At Eastern Fostering Services, we recognise that one of the most important functions of all fostering communities is to offer support to foster carers and the children and young people they care for.

So, today we want to look at take a look at the Eastern Fostering Services team and the role it plays as a vital Fostering Community.

Who is the Eastern Fostering Services team?

The team at Eastern Fostering Services is small but perfectly formed. In every area of the agency, we have been able to attract people who are passionate about children and the opportunities fostering can give them when done well.

Supervising social worker community

We have a team of Supervising Social Workers supporting carers across Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire. Their role is to support and advocate for our carers and the children they care for. They offer carers regular supervision in which carers are able to share the successes of the children, seek advice, share any concerns, ask for help to communicate with other professionals or identify additional areas for training and development. One of the social work team is always available outside of office hours, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Our team of social workers pride themselves on the relationships they build with carers, which allow honesty, transparency and an ability to secure the best possible outcomes for children.

The social workers accompany carers to all professionals’ meetings and support carers in their communications with other professionals to ensure the voice of the child is heard.

Children and young people’s participation community

Our participation team works directly with the children and young people to build relationships with them and to ensure that we always hear their voices. They hold a regular forum for young people called Choices for Young Voices which enables the young people to discuss issues that affect them and how they would like Eastern Fostering Services to advocate for them. The team also works with birth children who have their own forum My Best Fostering Family so that they have a space to build further relationships and ensure they get the support they need. Both groups of young people have regular opportunities to mix together at Eastern Fostering Services events and many of them have formed really close bonds!

Administration Community

We have a team of very hard-working administrators who ensure that the significant amount of paperwork required of fostering providers is all in order. There are strict regulations which all fostering providers must comply with, and it is important that records are kept complete and up to date.

The team also make sure that we communicate well with our carers and children so that they know what training, events or fun days are organised and when. The admin team is a key part of the fostering agency, supporting carers to manage the paperwork that is associated with fostering. We’re happy to be able to thank them and celebrate them this Foster Care Fortnight.

Accounts community

All foster carers receive a weekly allowance for fostering so that they can support the practical, material and emotional needs of the children they care for. Making sure that all carers receive the correct allowance and expenses on time is no mean feat. Yet our team does it seemingly effortlessly.

As a fostering agency, Eastern Fostering Services feel strongly that we should plough finances back into the children. We do this by providing therapeutic services, direct workers, days out, social events and focus groups. Our accounts team helps us to recognise where we need to put resources and when. None of this would be possible without our financial whizz kids!

Assessment Community

When we accept your application to foster with us, we assign you your own assessor. We use a number of current or former social workers so that we can choose the one we feel best suited to work with you as an individual to produce your Form F.

Assessors need to be warm, sensitive, thorough, tenacious, analytical, strong communicators, diligent and organised. They need to have a lot of expert knowledge around fostering and its requirements. The assessment needs to be thorough so that panel have all the information they need and yet it also needs to be managed as sensitively as possible with potential carers to create an open, trusting space. Not an easy balance! Yet our team does this with great skill.

Placements Community

The placing of children with foster carers is a vital part of the fostering process. We take matching extremely seriously at Eastern Fostering Services. Whilst in many ways you don’t truly know if fostering is going to work for you until you start living it, we can give it the best chance of success. We do this by getting to know you, your circumstances, your strengths and your motivations. When we then receive requests for foster carers for specific children and young people, we have a good idea of whether they are a potential match. We will always ask for your input, check what questions or concerns you have and try and get as much information about the children as is possible. Foster carers always have the right to say no to a child they don’t feel is a match and this in itself helps us to refine our matching.

Recruitment Community

We always need more foster carers! Attracting new carers is something every member of the Eastern Fostering Services community takes responsibility for, including our carers!

“We think you are an exceptional agency and always feel like part of a welcoming family.”

You can find out more about the Eastern Fostering Services Community here.

If you’re thinking about fostering, please get in touch with us. You can email us at team@easternfosteringservices.com or call us on 01206 299775 or you can message us on Facebook.

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“It was the first time, I fully appreciated just how many professionals are involved with the children and how important it must be to invest in these relationships,” said one of our recently approved carers.

This was an astutely made point. It is indeed important to build good relationships within the professional community, to understand their roles, their objectives and how best to work with them to promote the well being of the children you are fostering.

It’s also no bad thing to realise that this can be overwhelming as a foster carer and to remember how it must sometimes feel for children who live with a high degree of scrutiny.

Which professionals make up the fostering community?

The number of professionals surrounding a child in foster care will vary according to the circumstances, history and current needs of the child. In addition to the foster carer, every child will have a Local Authority Social Worker or a personal adviser if over the age of 18.

Local Authority Social Worker

Every child under 18 will have a local authority social worker. The fullness of their role depends on the status of the child. The Local Authority may have full parental responsibility for the child, for instance. All local authority social workers have the responsibility of implementing, following, supporting or advocating for the care plan for the child. As such, it is important that carers can feed into this process by regular, open communication and the establishment of a good working relationship. The social worker will have a legal obligation to see the child regularly; the exact timeframe will vary according to the individual needs and circumstances of the child but it will be specific. The social worker will ultimately be responsible for all areas of the care plan: education, health, emotional well-being etc. It is ultimately the foster carer who is involved most heavily day-to-day in all of these areas. An important part of the foster carer’s role is to feed their observations back to the social worker and advocate for the child. This is why a good working relationship is so important; it allows the voice of the child to be heard and responded to.

Health professionals

Children in foster care will have regular statutory health checks. These are usually carried out by a dedicated nurse. They are responsible for tracking the physical health of the child, but they may also identify any issues relating to mental health. Foster carers will be able to raise any concerns with the nurse and the nurse will be able to make recommendations if further input is needed. Foster carers also build relationships with GPs, dentists, opticians as children require regular appointments with these professionals also!

Education professionals

Education is a vital part of childhood and for children in foster care, there is a significant onus placed on it. There are regular meetings devoted to the education plans for a child. These meetings review progress, identify needs and set out changes to the current education plan. The education community will include foster carers, Local Authority Social Workers, supervising social workers (social workers dedicated to foster carers and their families), teachers, virtual schools, SEN professionals, pastoral professionals, careers advisors and anyone else who plays a role in the delivery of education for that specific child. Each review meeting will look at previous objectives and action points and will determine new objectives and areas for further support. Foster carers work closely with the children and with schools to support their educational needs, so it is often carers who have the most rounded view of how children are doing, what they are excelling at and what they need further support in. The quality of the relationships within this community are crucial in determining the educational outcomes for children in foster care. These relationships need to be pursued and nurtured by foster carers and foster carers should be able to play a major role in the advocacy of children and young people where their education is concerned.

Mental health professionals

Many children in foster care will have experienced loss and trauma. As such it is very common for children and young people to display signs of poor mental health. Foster carers need to support children in many ways from helping them to recognise and accept their feelings to reporting areas for concern that may be affecting carers’ ability to keep children safe and healthy. Carers may need to work with Mental Health agencies such as CAMHS or they may advocate for the child to have access to therapists or other professionals. Many carers at Eastern Fostering Services work closely with our therapist to understand how to therapeutically parent, to exchange ideas and techniques for managing mental health or to talk through their own struggles in managing some of the more difficult aspects of caring for a child or young person with mental health conditions.

Advocates or direct workers

Many Local Authorities offer an advocacy service for young people. These professionals will build a relationship with young people, understand their individual needs and desires and effectively be their voice with other professionals. They will visit regularly and usually take the young person out so that they can spend quality time together. Advocates are often very significant in the lives of young people in foster care; their impartiality and desire to represent the voice of the child faithfully means that they can really inspire openness and trust.

Similarly, direct workers, like Paul at Eastern Fostering Services play an important role in offering an additional person for children to spend time with and share any concerns. These professionals will have a varied remit from taking children out for treats, talking through problems, supervising contact, transporting to appointments and organising days out for the children in the fostering community.

Fostering provider Supervising Social Workers

These professionals are social workers employed by a fostering provider to support foster carers and their families. In reality, and certainly at Eastern Fostering Services, the role is much more in-depth. Often, they are the glue that holds all the relationships together as they communicate with all professionals to advocate for the carers and children they foster. They also play a major role in supporting the children and young people, regularly spending time with them and talking to them about anything that they may want to get off their chests. They will be present at all professionals’ meetings and will be able to represent the voice of the carers and children should they need to be reinforced. Supervising social workers contribute significantly to the longevity of fostering placements through the support and advocacy they offer. They meet regularly with carers and liaise with other professionals to ensure that the best interests of the children and young people are met.

Independent Reviewing Officers (IRO)

The role of the IRO is to scrutinise the care plans for the children and young people in foster care and to ensure they are being delivered faithfully. They will often host and lead review meetings and will ensure that all professionals are doing what is expected of them in order to deliver best practise for the children and young people concerned. They can require and ask for further action, input or change to make sure that the best outcomes are achieved. As the name suggests, they should be independent of the Local Authority and have as their focus the well-being of the child. Foster carers can escalate any concerns or issues to the IRO if they feel they are having an adverse effect on the child.

There may well be other professionals involved with delivering holistic care to children and young people. This community is varied and full of expert knowledge and skill. The relationships formed within the professional fostering community have a direct impact on the outcomes for children. As always, the foster carer is pivotal. It is no mean feat to manage and nurture these relationships to get the best out of them. Yet foster carers do this day by day in order to promote the needs and wishes of the children they foster.

We’d like to acknowledge and thank all the professionals who work so hard to ensure that a holistic package of care is provided to the children we foster, and we’d like to particularly thank our foster carers for getting the very best out of them!

If you would like to know more about fostering, you can contact us via our website, via Facebook, by email at team@easternfosteringservices.com or by phoning 01206 299775.

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Today, I am reflecting on one of those life events that makes being a Social Worker for nearly 30 years worthwhile. I claim no credit for the achievements of this incredibly special woman, I am just grateful for being part of her journey.

I first met ‘Belle” (she is a Disney fan, so we agreed on this as her pseudonym) in the 1990’s as her fostering Social Worker. She was a feisty, mixed-up teen, rightly angry with the world but also clearly possessing a strong and positive spirit. We immediately struck up a great rapport that has now stood the test of time, having just been to her wedding in 2022.

As I write this, I can feel the goosebumps rising on my arms, because to see her walk down the aisle, looking like a Disney Princess, beaming with a sense of peace about her was a moment I find hard to describe-my heart swelled, and I shed a tear-particularly when I saw the look on the face of her husband to be-filled with love, telling her how fabulous she looked.

Then

Belle had a rough start to life, she was part of a family of four and they were all separated as children-her younger brother being adopted on his own, her older brother remaining in foster care because he was seen as ‘too old’ to adopt, and Belle and her sister going to live with an adoptive family together. For Belle, the adoption didn’t work out-the adoptive family rejected her and kept her sister-causing a fracture in their sibling relationship that lasted many years. Belle went to a fostering family who specialised in looking after teenage girls and she found a place where she felt accepted. Feeling part of this family gave her some space to express some of the anger and hurt, and on top of the usual challenges of growing up, she was trying to come to terms with her past-this led to such a mixture of emotions for her, but her fostering family and I could always see what was underneath and I’m glad we were able to help hold her while she raged at the world.

Belle did well at school but the transition between childhood and adulthood was hard, and as she moved into independent living; Belle bounced around a lot in different accommodation. She always had a great sense of justice and I remember her losing her place in the YMCA for hitting someone who was a bully. Nowadays she still has that sense of defending the vulnerable, but she does it with well-chosen words!

The journey

Despite her inner struggles, she connected well with her community and was a regular on the local karaoke scene, often winning competitions as she is such a talented singer. She also performed in local pantomimes, something she still does, making connections wherever she goes.

Whilst academically gifted, Belle found it hard to focus on a career choice; she was too busy just learning how to make her way in life day to day. The legacy of such an unsettled early life can continue to be felt at many milestones in adulthood. This was also affected by her becoming pregnant with her daughter, a much-loved surprise.

Belle adapted to life as a single parent brilliantly, loving her daughter fiercely, being determined to give her everything she hadn’t had, and her daughter has now grown from the ‘bald boxer’ I affectionately and not very politely, used to describe her as, to being a beautiful reflection of her mother, an absolute credit to Belle.

Belle made the decision to move to the north of England, to work with children in care, having always been clear that she wanted to ‘give something back’, an attitude that I thoroughly applaud, and respect. She had very little herself, yet she was still looking at how she could help others. This also gave her the opportunity to re-build her relationship with her sister and today they are incredibly close, demonstrating that although experiences in childhood can carry with us through adult life, they don’t have to define it.

I remember going to Belle’s goodbye party before she moved away, and as I arrived, she shouted ‘my Social Worker is here!’ I can’t say that made me the most popular party guest, but it did give me the opportunity to show her friends on her estate that I wasn’t too scary!

Now

Belle is now working in a school, carrying on the tradition of helping others, she attends her local church, she performs in panto, and she has just married a man who clearly thinks the world of her. She has a family with her daughter and his girls. She is still feisty; she still expresses her opinions with feeling and clarity, and she is still a uniquely lovely person who I am proud to know, and care for deeply. At her wedding were all four siblings, together for the first time in many years.

But the last word has to go to Belle:

“You missed the part where YOU used to go above and beyond what was expected of you to make sure I always got what I needed, even when I didn’t know I needed it. 

And the part where I chose to name my daughter after one of the fiercest warriors in social worker history in the hope that she becomes just as fierce and composed and loyal.” 

This is what makes being part of the Fostering Social Worker community so worthwhile.

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Why is our fostering community so important?

Foster carers know that being part of a wider group of carers is important for many reasons. A warm and supportive community of foster carers provides other foster carers with:

• A source of encouragement, particularly when times are tough. Foster carers have seen it all! When carers encounter difficulties or challenges with the children they are fostering, it is so important that they can seek the support and counsel of someone who knows exactly how they feel.
• Resilience. Communities of foster carers are themselves a means of building individual resilience. Having a group of people you can share knowledge with and learn from can help carers develop their own resilience toolkit.
• Perspective. Every foster carer has their own approach. Quite often when you’re in the thick of challenging circumstances, it can be difficult to view things objectively. Having a community of foster carers who can each offer their own perspective and approaches can really help you to see the wood and not just the trees!
• Confidence. Don’t forget you are also part of the fostering community. You will be able to offer support to other foster carers too. It is often only in conversations with other foster carers that you realise how much you have learned, the skills you have developed and the perspective you have gained. Knowing what you know does wonders for your confidence. Confidence itself makes you a more effective foster carer.
• Fun! The carers we are lucky enough to have at Eastern Fostering Services are warm, friendly and have a great sense of humour (often cited as the most important quality needed for fostering.) It is simply good fun to get together and socialise. The importance of fun is often underestimated as an important part of building resilience and robust mental health.

What do our foster carers say about the Eastern Fostering Services Fostering Community?

“Being part of the Eastern Fostering Services Fostering community is like being in a family!”

“It’s like stepping into a warm bath.”

“We’ve also benefited from a great network with other carers in Essex, which Eastern Fostering Services is instrumental in supporting.”

“Our social worker has been developing a Cambridgeshire group of carers and we meet regularly and feel like we’ve known each other for ever, (which we really haven’t).  The other carers are a great support and we regularly message each other when we need help or to encourage each other.”

“We have had so much support from Eastern Fostering Services but also from our fellow carers in Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire. We love the days out and getting together for training or beach days and the Christmas lunch!”

If you’d like to know more about our fostering community, please get in touch.

You can message us on Facebook, email us at team@easternfosteringservices.com contact us via our website or call us on 01206 299775.

The post The Fostering Community at Eastern Fostering Services appeared first on Eastern Fostering Services.

When thinking about fostering many people conjure up the image of a baby or toddler and are either attracted to fostering because of it or assume that it is not something they could do.

In fact, there is increasingly a shortfall of carers for the children who really need them and who could benefit from the range of skills ordinary people bring to fostering.

So, what does fostering look like in 2022?

Since the Covid pandemic, we have seen the needs of children and young people shift. Undoubtedly, we are seeing the effects on children of poor mental health, domestic violence, substance misuse and poverty and the complex issues that brings. Whilst there are services being put into families to support them, the need is overwhelming, and we have seen an increase in children and young people who need a period of foster care.

Very few children in need of foster carers fall into the baby category, though of course there is still a need for carers who can look after babies, young children and certainly a large need for sibling groups. Fostering requires a deep pool of carers who are available to respond to the needs of our most vulnerable groups.

Task centred fostering

Task centred fostering is usually a planned period of foster care with a specific objective in mind. This may be to support children, young people and their families to rebuild relationships or address certain issues or behavioural concerns. It may be to offer support with mental health and give families space and respite. It might be to care for children who are in the process of court proceedings.

Parent and child fostering

We have seen a large increase in the need for carers to support young parents and their babies. This type of fostering offers young parents the opportunity to learn how to parent well.  Increasingly, young parents are struggling with mental health issues, poor family support and relationships that are characterised by domestic violence. Parent and child fostering can offer parents role-modelling, life skills and the babies a safe and secure environment in which to develop a good attachment to their parent(s).

Permanent fostering

The greatest need for foster carers is in the adolescent age range. We have seen a rise in the number of 11–18-year-olds who need a secure, nurturing and therapeutic care setting. Often for these children and young people, reunification with family or adoption are not plausible options. Increasingly, the world is a scary and overwhelming place for these young people and fostering can really help them to reach their potential and process the trauma they may have experienced. Foster carers who look after this age group on a long-term basis can have a significant and lasting impact on a child and can help prepare them for independence.

Fostering refugee children

Recently, we have once again seen an increase in demand for carers to support children and young people who are seeking refuge in the UK, usually because of war, conflict or political unrest in their own countries. This type of fostering, whilst challenging, can be hugely rewarding and offers the opportunity to change someone’s life dramatically.

Staying Put Fostering

Many young people need additional support as they enter adulthood. Staying put offers young people over 18 the chance to stay within a loving fostering family as they continue to develop the skills and emotional toolkit they will need for life.

What can I bring to fostering?

Almost everyone has something they could bring to fostering.

• Have you had experience working with vulnerable adults or young people?
• Maybe you’ve been a teacher or youth worker?
• Have you raised your own children?
• Have you led an active part in the lives of children in your family?
• Have you supported stepchildren or friends of your own children?
• Do you have empathy for children and young people growing up in difficult circumstances?
• Do you want to make a difference in the world?
• Do you have a home with a spare room that you would like to use to benefit someone else?
• Do you practise a faith?
• Have you had difficult life experiences that you have overcome?
• Do you consider yourself to have had good life experiences and want to offer a child the same opportunity?

If you can answer yes to any of the above questions, it could be that you could bring something of great value to children who need nurture, support, love and guidance.

Why not check out our 5 steps to fostering for more information or email us at team@easternfosteringservices.com , find us on Facebook or call us on 01206 299775.

Life happens when you step out!

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What does it mean to become a foster parent? It’s a question with so many answers but we’re going to try and dissect for you what it means to become a foster parent in the UK, what it entails and how it’ll enrich your life fully.

Foster parents provide a unique outlook on the world for a child or children in their care. If you provide a safe home for a child or children who, for many reasons, can’t stay with their birth family then this is called foster parenting or fostering caring. You can foster a child in an emergency situation which may be for a very short period of time or you may foster in the long term until the child is ready for independence.

If you approach us at Eastern Fostering Services in the hope you can become a foster parent, we’ll immediately be on hand to provide you with all the support you need and no question is too simple or too trivial.

How to become a foster parent

If you choose to work with Eastern Fostering Services, an independent fostering agency, we’ll guide you along your journey and be there every step of the way.

Depending on a couple of factors, including your current situation and suitability, the fostering experience will take between four and six months to complete and you’ll then be eligible to welcome a child or children into your home. While this may initially sound like a long time, it’s important we provide you with the right training and guidance in order for you to become a foster parent.

As you may be dealing with children who have had troubled starts in life and may face a range of complex difficulties, it’s vital that we equip you with all the skills you’ll need. During this time we’ll get to know you and your family in a non-intrusive, nurturing way. We welcome families of all different backgrounds and all walks of life so please do get in touch if you’re thinking of taking the first steps in becoming a foster parent.

Factors in becoming a foster parent

There are many ways you can support children as a foster parent and with Eastern Fostering Services you’ll be given full training. But what needs to be considered? We take into account many factors, all to make your life easier. We’ll sensitively assess you and your living situation to make sure you can give the best support to a foster child. Initially we’ll check for things that would automatically rule you out (like a criminal offence against a child). We won’t make judgement on you, instead we’ll look at how best we can support you.

We’ll consider things like how much space you have in your home, we’ll look at any current children you may have and make sure any foster children are a good fit with your current situation and we’ll also offer an allowance to help support you on the way.

What will you do as a foster parent?

As well as meeting all the practical care needs of the child, you’ll also advocate for your foster child to make sure their emotional, educational and spiritual needs are being met. Advocating for your foster child could mean supporting them as they see their birth parents, acknowledging and seeking help for any additional needs they may have such as autism, ADHD, Foetal Alcohol Syndrome or mental health issues and support a child with their education.

You’ll be asked to keep records documenting milestones, achievements, areas of concern and areas where additional support is needed.

To help a child develop their own skills, you’ll partake in a number of fun and enriching activities which could be anything from growing your own vegetables in the garden with your foster child to teaching them to bake and cook to supporting them as they learn a new language.

Support in becoming a foster parent

We provide excellent support to our foster carers. We know all of our carers and children very well. This means we understand their individual circumstances and needs. Understanding our children and carers is key in our approach to advocating for them. Here’s Paul and Denise’s story about how they found becoming foster parents.

“We love Eastern Fostering Services. We love the friendly, family-like feel of the organisation, while at the same time being able to trust that we will be treated in a professional manner at all times. (Balancing these two things is a real skill) We love the staff’s dedication to the children and we love the fact that we are so valued and supported as carers. We love the excellent training that we get and the outings provided for the children. And we have the best Social Worker in the world!”

You can find more success stories of families who have worked with Eastern Fostering Services here.

Training to become a foster parent

We mentioned that you’ll receive training to become a foster parent but what exactly does that entail? One of our key roles is to help foster carers build knowledge, confidence and resilience. We do this through our varied training and development programme. 

We run a range of training opportunities to help you thrive as a foster parent and we’re always on hand to hear your feedback and offer more as and when needed. We’ll not only train you in terms of knowledge, confidence and resilience but we provide everything from first aid courses, safeguarding children online, conflict resolution and understanding eating disorders to name but a few. You can find out more about our training programmes by clicking here.

Next steps

If becoming a foster parent sounds like something you’re keen to do, contact us and we’ll arrange an initial chat so we can start building together a supportive, caring environment not only for your foster child or children but for you and your family too.

The post Becoming a foster parent appeared first on Eastern Fostering Services.

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 to observe trends in behaviour, the emotional state of the child, strategies that are beneficial or ineffective, the impact of events at school or in terms of family contact. These observations should help shape and refine the care package that is offered to the child and can identify problems and areas for improvement. Good quality, prompt recordings can allow for powerful advocacy of children’s needs.
• Weekly recordings should capture any health concerns that might arise day to day. Having robust records can help identify health needs for children and means that carers and professionals can be responsive and proactive in ensuring children are physically healthy.
• In producing detailed and timely recordings, carers can ensure that they get appropriate support in managing some of the more challenging aspects of fostering. Understanding the emotional health of children and the challenges they present to carers, ensures that Supervising Social Workers can have open conversations with foster carers about strategies which might help. Carers and social workers can use the recordings to secure additional emotional or mental health support to support children when they need it.
• Recordings that log and celebrate the achievements of children and the progress they are making allow carers and professionals to acknowledge and praise children when they do well. Equally, children may wish to see their records at some stage in their life and it is important that they can see they were celebrated, noticed and praised for their achievements however big or small.
• Weekly records alert professionals when there are safeguarding issues for the children. Foster carers should alert professionals immediately if there are concerns around safeguarding. This may include online safety, bullying, issues arising during family contact, drug or alcohol use, disclosures of harm or abuse either present or historic, involvement with the police, instances where child or young person has been missing, criminal or sexual exploitation, significant changes in behaviour. Anything of concern should be reported by the foster carer as soon as it comes to light to ensure that children are kept safe immediately.
• Weekly recordings allow professionals to ensure that children have all their material needs catered to. Carers are required to note pocket money, savings and significant purchases they have made for the children.
• Good record keeping also helps carers to protect themselves. By recording in detail, each day carers can demonstrate a chain of evidence in the event that children make allegations against them. Whilst this happens very rarely, foster carers can take some steps to protect themselves by noting all and any incidents and recording what was said and done at the time. Any incidents where carers have had to de-escalate situations or if they have had to physically intervene must be recorded fully and immediately. Any accidents that happen should also be reported immediately as the fostering agency is required by law to report these.

What should foster carers expect to record?

Each fostering provider will have their own guidance in place as to what and how foster carers should record. Here at Eastern Fostering Services, we ask carers to consider the following areas relating to the care they are giving:

• Education. Foster carers should note how school or college is going. They should record the highlights and difficulties. If homework has been set, has it been completed? Is any extra support needed? If the child is not in education (e.g., due to illness, exclusion, etc) foster carers should detail and include date/s.
• Health. If there are health concerns, foster carers would need to record these and list actions they have taken. This should include GP, dentist, optician and other health appointments, accidents, illness, injuries and infectious diseases. If medication is prescribed/given, foster carers need to state name of medication and dosage amount given.
• Emotional and behavioural development. foster carers must record whether there are any behavioural difficulties, and the strategies they are using to manage them. Is the child showing signs of healthy emotional development or might extra support might be needed? There are robust processes in place to capture and examine any instances where physical intervention, e.g., restraint has been necessary.
• Identity. Foster carers need to consider how children feel about themselves.  Do you think they have good self-esteem? What might be affecting this? Are there any particular cultural needs or extra needs that have to be addressed?
• Family and Social Relationships. Some children in foster care can struggle with relationships so it’s a good measure of their progress and an important identifier of their needs to understand how they respond to family contact and how positive their peer relationships are.
• Social Skills and Involvement. Has the child been to any clubs or taken part in any interests or hobbies this week? Is there anything that they have expressed an interest in? It’s important to note any concerns that the foster carer has and what they might be able to do to help.
• Self-Care skills. An important role of the foster carer is to support children to develop life skills. Is the child able to do age-appropriate things for themselves? If not, how can the foster carer help them to develop?
• Personal Items. Foster carers should record what they have bought for the child: Clothes, toys, or personal items. How much pocket money did they get this week? How much savings were put aside this week? This ensures that carers are accountable for using the allowance they receive to respond to the material needs of the child.
• Safe Caring. Carers must record any child protection concerns they may have. Is it possible that the child is being bullied? Have there been any allegations made by the child or has anything happened or been said that concerns you as a foster carer?
• Carers also must record If a child/young person went missing/absconded/unauthorised absence, a serious offence by or against a child/young person or incident involving police to the home, and if a complaint is made by or concerning the child.

It sounds like foster carers are expected to do a lot! How do they remember everything?

One big advantage of producing detailed, positive and truthful records is that they allow foster carers time and space to reflect. Sometimes the very act of writing down what is happening can afford carers perspective on the situation and enable creativity in their strategies. It can also be therapeutic when things are tricky. Keeping records also allows foster carers to keep sight of progress and maintain positivity.

Many foster carers find that keeping a daily journal or diary helps them to remember everything and is used as a reference tool when writing up the weekly records. The daily journal can help the carers to note and process their own emotions and reactions to circumstances and is a valuable coping strategy. Whilst everything that is written in the daily journal won’t be appropriate for a record keeping on the child, it is a useful exercise for foster carers.

Striking the right tone.

Foster carers, like any other human, sometimes feel frustrated, angry, hurt and demotivated. It is really important that foster carers are able to separate and process their own feelings and reactions so that they can report professionally and factually.

Being self-aware and seeking support from your fostering team is important as it allows you to vent and process.

Before sitting down to write recordings, many foster carers find it useful to imagine their child reading them (which of course they may well one day want to). Recordings should be factual and observational and should not be peppered with personal opinion or judgements. Carers may well have an idea of what is behind behaviour and can express these opinions and strategies they are considering, after all they often know the child best. However, it is important that recordings are non-judgmental and well balanced.

For more information on what it takes to be a foster carer, we have lots of resources on our website. You can look us up on Facebook or contact us with your questions.

The post Fostering good habits: the importance of record keeping in fostering. appeared first on Eastern Fostering Services.

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 child. When it comes to fostering, the first thing you need to provide is compassion and love; it sounds simple but we’re looking for people who can really help bring out the best in a child. You will, of course, receive training and support from Eastern Fostering Services on your journey but an open mind and an open heart is the most important thing.

Many children in the fostering system might not have had the same experiences as other children and this can be a wonderful and enriching part of your journey as you learn and explore together with the child. From baking cakes and cookies for the first time to taking them to the playground, or helping older children to learn independence skills, there are many activities you can do with your foster child that will open up possibilities for them. To allow a child to safely explore and flourish is what it really means to be a foster parent.

Personal stories

You might also be wondering what it’s like to be a foster parent. We have a multitude of carers who have happily shared their own stories about what it means to be a foster parent.

Jim recently spoke to us about fostering with Eastern Fostering Services.

“We’ve been with Eastern Fostering Services since we started fostering. What impressed me from the start was the pastoral care they give to foster parents. It’s not always easy to foster, but the staff are always on hand to give support and advice. They put the interests of the child first, of course, but in the context of supporting foster parents to give the best care possible in the prevailing circumstances. There’s always plenty of training. And if we’ve felt the need for any specialist help, Eastern Fostering Services have been there to provide it. We’ve also benefited from a great network with other carers in the area which Eastern Fostering Services is instrumental in supporting. Finally, they have supported our wider family, including our children, and I think that has helped us make a success of fostering (so far).”

You can read more of our personal fostering stories and meet our community here.

Do I have what it takes to be a foster parent?

There are questions you’ll need to ask yourself about whether you have what it takes to be a foster parent and whether it’s right for you.

• Are you a patient person? It sounds simple but patience is key when it comes to foster parenting as you explore and experience different challenges. Whether it be the perils of getting your head around maths homework (we’ve all been there) to dealing with a long term health condition, being able to stay cool and calm under pressure while showing unwavering love is a necessity.

• Do you have a solid support network around you? From friends to family and even colleagues, the fostering process isn’t something anyone should go through alone. As well as support from us, we’d suggest you have a strong support network on hand who can share the highs and lows with you. An understanding workplace is a must as you take leave to adapt to a life with a child and all its tribulations to family who can rally around and help blow up balloons and make delicious cakes to celebrate a child’s birthday. And any parent is allowed to let off steam so make sure you’ve got a best friend on hand to encourage and cheer you on along the way.

• Can you deal with difficult subjects including child abuse, sexual exploitation and emotional abuse? As a foster parent you’ll be dealing with children from all sorts of different backgrounds so it’s important you get to grips with a range of subjects, all with our support of course. Children you take on may have experienced abuse at the hands of their parents or other people close to them and it’s important you can talk openly and honestly about heavy subjects. Many children may still be feeling the burden of abuse and/or exploitation, and will do for the rest of their lives. Remember, though, you are never alone in this and you can always contact us with any questions or concerns.

• Are you resilient? Resilience comes in many forms, it’s just about finding your balance and where your strengths lie. For example, resilience to you may look like being able to keep calm and carry on as the saying goes, or it may look like never missing reading a child a bedtime story no matter how much work you’ve got on.

• Could you open up your home and your heart to a child who needs you? Opening up your world to include a child or children in an inclusive space is so important to the fostering process. While we’re not expecting you to turn your home into a fully fledged two storey nursery, it’s important you’re willing to create a cosy space full of love.
• Do you have a deep-rooted desire to make a positive difference in the lives of children? This is the most important thing. You’re dealing with children who may have had difficult backgrounds and never experienced a positive role model in their lives- this is where you step in. From your work ethic to the way you express love and the every day details that make up the tapestry of care you’re offering, you need to have a desire to leave a lasting impression.

One final thing…

The most important thing about being a foster parent is that you can give yourself wholeheartedly to fostering. After all, the best thing about fostering is the relationship and bond between you and the child which offers them a secure base from which to thrive. If you want more information, there’s a plethora on our website or you can contact us via Facebook to find out more.

The post What Does It Mean To Be A Foster Parent? appeared first on Eastern Fostering Services.

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 people, recognising their feelings and intentions and difficulty in expressing emotions.
• The need for routines so they know what is going to happen next.
• Over or under sensitivity to sounds, light, temperature, tastes or smells which can be overwhelming and sometimes lead to sensory overload.
• Highly focussed interests and hobbies which can be pleasurable but may also lead to neglecting other areas of life.
• Suffering with anxiety which can, in some cases, lead to meltdowns involving tantrums or complete withdrawal.

Fostering considerations

The world can sometimes seem confusing for children with autism. For those coming into foster care, a sudden change of environment and routine can be extremely scary and distressing. It’s important that foster carers get as much information as possible from social workers about the child’s routines, likes and dislikes and any known triggers for behaviours. This will help the child feel comfortable and secure in their environment. Any sudden changes of routine can lead to heightened anxiety and should be avoided if possible. Moreover, it can be comforting for children to be allowed to keep their familiar belongings close. Foster carers need to get to know the child but also need to accept that this may take time and patience.

Could I foster a child with ASD?

Whilst prior experience of caring for a child with additional needs is advantageous, it is not compulsory. The main qualities needed for caring for children with ASD are:

• the ability to nurture
• patience
• empathy
• understanding
• resilience
• time to commit.

 A child with a disability is a child first and foremost and even small achievements can be celebrated!

If you foster a child with ASD you will not be alone. We work closely with our foster carers to provide specialist support, training and access to therapists. So, if you feel you could help support a child with ASD get in touch by contacting us on 01206 299775, email us at team@easternfosteringservices.com, message us on Facebook or contact us via our website where you will also find lots of useful information and resources.

The post Could you foster a child with Autism? appeared first on Eastern Fostering Services.

Do you have other questions about fostering? You can put your questions to us by emailing us at team@easternfosteringservices.com, message us on Facebook, call us on 01206 299775. You can also contact us via our website.

The post Can I foster if I…? appeared first on Eastern Fostering Services.