Find out more about fostering in Leamington
Are you interested in becoming a foster carer? Staff from Warwickshire’s Fostering Service will be in Leamington to give information and advice on Friday 14 December.
Foster carers in Warwickshire currently provide homes for around 450 children and the county’s Fostering Service is seeking new foster carers.
Members of the foster care team will be on hand to give friendly, informal advice at a special ‘fostering surgery’ at Leamington Library in the Royal Pump Rooms on The Parade. The surgery will be held on Friday 14 December from 10-12, and there will be a display and leaflets about fostering in the library until Friday 21 December.
Sylvia Vickers from Warwickshire’s Fostering Service said: “Warwickshire County Council believes that every child has a right to family life. If you would like to have an informal chat about fostering in Warwickshire please come and visit us during one of our informal surgeries.”
She added: “We are looking for carers who are single or couples; with or without children, retired, unemployed or working, so we can find the best match for every child. What matters most is that you have time, space, commitment, patience, a caring nature and skills to work with children and their families.”
There are a number of different types of foster care, depending on the needs of children. They include short-term placements that require a commitment of one weekend a month to others that last for many years.
As a result, a wide range of different people are needed to perform this vital role. Warwickshire County Council’s fostering team is keen to recruit carers who can look after children over 10, brothers and sisters, disabled children, children from black and Asian communities and dual heritage children.
Full training and support is given to carers, who are matched to one of six different schemes, depending on what suits them best. Carers are paid an allowance that reflects the real cost of looking after a child.
If you are interested but cannot visit the surgery, a display and leaflets will be available at the library until 21 December 2007. Alternatively please contact the team on 01926 413313 or visit http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/fostering.