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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Fostering trans young people
Lucy Stevens - 3rd June 2021
7 things trans young people need from their foster carers We know that children and young people in foster care are highly vulnerable and need their foster carers to support and advocate for them. We also know that trans young people are vulnerable to discrimination and oppression. So how should carers prepare for fostering trans young people? What should foster carers know about what it's like to be a trans young person? One could say that generally our society does not treat young people well. Teenagers are often treated with suspicion and criticism and a degree of contempt. For young people in foster care, these attitudes are largely exacerbated. When it comes to fostering trans young people, the challenges can
Tags: foster care, fostering, Fostering Cambridgeshire, fostering Essex, fostering Suffolk, fostering trans young people, how can I foster?, how do I become a foster carer, how to foster, LGBT fostering, trans, transgender
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Fostering – Taking the high road and the low road
Lucy Stevens - 10th February 2021
A foster carer’s perspective The UK is suffering a severe shortage of foster carers. One of the many reasons for this is that people generally don’t have a full understanding of what fostering looks like. So, why do people foster? What do they love about it? Where do they find the joy in it? We’ve asked some of our foster carers across Essex, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire what they love about fostering and what they find difficult. This week we’ll be hearing from Julie, Nigel and Lesley. Julie, Foster Carer, Suffolk I love fostering and get real enjoyment and satisfaction from bringing out the best in a child. Fostering makes a huge difference in the life of a child but these
Tags: foster carer perspective, Fostering Cambridgeshire, fostering Essex, fostering Suffolk, independent fostering agency
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The Virtual Reality of fostering
Lucy Stevens - 26th February 2020
Virtual reality and fostering, why? Independent agency, Eastern Fostering Services are using virtual reality in their fostering training. But why? And how? In reality, fostering is hard. Foster carers are expected to be able to cope with a range of challenges within their own home. Children come into foster care with all manner of grief, pain and damage and this can manifest itself in many ways. Virtually anything can happen... Challenging behavioursAttachment issues or disordersPost Traumatic Stress Disorder AnxietyDepressionSelf harmDrug and alcohol misuseViolence or aggressionSleep disordersMental health problemsConfusionDelayed developmentHypervigilance The list goes on. Indeed, foster carers need to be able to cope with whatever fostering throws at them. Many foster carers will say that they are prepared for any eventuality!
Tags: Eastern Fostering Services, Fostering Cambridgeshire, fostering Essex, fostering Suffolk, fostering training
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The Fostering Assessment – Step 4 in becoming a foster carer
Lucy Stevens - 16th September 2019
What is the fostering assessment for? Your Fostering Assessment will be carried out by one of our friendly, experienced assessors. Once you have completed your application form and we have carried out the necessary checks, we will begin your fostering assessment. A fostering assessor will be assigned to you and your family. All of our assessors are friendly, keen to put you at your ease and experienced in producing fostering assessment reports. The job of your assessor is to provide a detailed report on you, your partner and your family. This report will look at your life experiences, motivation, strengths and qualities . It should also flag up training opportunities. In addition to this, the report will give your fostering
Tags: becoming a foster carer, foster carer, fostering, fostering assessment, Fostering Cambridgeshire, fostering Essex, fostering form f, fostering Suffolk
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The Fostering Application form
Lucy Stevens - 12th September 2019
The next step in becoming a foster carer. How do I proceed with the Fostering Application after the home visit? Completing the Fostering Application form is not difficult...just a little time consuming. Last week we shared a blog about the home visit. Once you have had your home visit and you, your family and the fostering provider are keen to go ahead with your fostering application, you are ready for the next stage of the process. The fostering application form. What information does the fostering application form require? We need quite a bit of information from you in order to proceed with your fostering application. The assessment will consist of information gathering both behind the scenes and directly from you
Tags: becoming a foster carer, becoming a foster family, becoming a fostering family, fostering, fostering application, fostering assessment, Fostering Cambridgeshire, fostering Essex, fostering Suffolk, how do I become a foster carer
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