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In the News

Forgotten Children?

Election Special: Are Children in Care Being Forgotten? Amid the chaos of Brexit and the looming climate emergency, are the voices of the most vulnerable in our society being excluding from the national debate? Over 140 leaders of charities and organisations working with vulnerable children across the UK believe so. In an open letter, they have called on all Party Leaders to put the needs of our youngest citizens, particularly the most vulnerable, at the heart of this election, urging them to prioritise their needs in the next Parliament. They’ve asked all the political parties to commit to the following three actions to improve their outcomes: • Clearly set out your party’s priorities for vulnerable children. According to the Child... Read more →

Mockingbird Programme

Surrey County Council Launches Mockingbird Programme Surrey County Council (SCC) is the latest local authority to adopt the Mockingbird programme of support for foster families, to ensure that carers and children alike have the support they need to stop placements falling apart. Adapted by The Fostering Network, the Mockingbird programme sees a group of foster carers come together to offering planned and emergency sleepovers and short breaks, as well as advice, peer support and training. Esther and Liam Dowds from Redhill were the first carers in the county to create a hub. Esther told SurreyLive that she knew what it was like to not have a support network in place. “Sometimes it’s lonely being a foster carer. You can’t always... Read more →

“Foster Care News – Helping Your Foster Parenting Journey”

There are more than 62,000 children living with foster families across the UK and more than 9,000 new foster carers are needed every year. Find out more

Foster Carers are responsible for working in partnership with their Agency and Local Authorities to provide a safe, secure and nurturing family environment, allowing children to stay in contact with their own families if appropriate.

Carers are required for children and young people aged between 0-18 from a variety of different backgrounds, including specialised placements such as sibling groups, children with special needs and also parent and child placements.

You will need to have:
• The time and energy to invest in a child or young person
• A bedroom for the foster child
• Couples will need to arrange their working hours so that one carer can be available full time
• Single carers will need to be at home full-time, or have flexible, part-time and term time only employment or be able to work bank shifts
• Hold a full UK driving licence.
Better allowances, holidays, respite care, better matched and more regular placements, training, supervision, support.

Fostering role models

Foster carers and their families are often the only positive role models a child has experienced on his or her journey to make friendships, achieve a good education, improve their mental health and behaviour and make a positive contribution to society.

Fostering information