Warwickshire salutes the kids who foster
Warwickshire County Council is honouring the sons and daughters of foster carers for contribution they make to other young people’s lives.
To coincide with Foster Care Fortnight, which runs from today (12 May) until 25 May, Warwickshire County Council is sending special certificates to say thank you for all the help and support that the sons and daughters of foster carers give to their parents and the children who live with them.
In Warwickshire there are nearly 150 children and young people aged under 18 who live with their parents as part of a foster family. The council’s ‘Kids who foster’ initiative has been created to provide a network of support in each district and recognise the contribution that they make. The fostering service is helping ‘kids who foster’ to link up with others in similar situations and raise their thoughts and issues.
Fourteen-year-old Danni from Warwick has lived as part of a fostering family all her life. As an only child, fostering has enabled Danni to be part of a larger family and gain brothers and sisters. Her parents Kim and Dean have been Foster Carers for Warwickshire County Council for 16 years.
Danni said: “I would like my family to continue fostering at least until I leave home – if they didn’t foster my house would be too quiet and boring! Fostering is fun to do as a family but it needs to be thought through by the whole family as it’s not for everyone.“
Foster carers in Warwickshire currently provide homes for around 480 children and young people, and the County Council wants to find 55 new recruits this year to provide a wide range of care.
Depending on the needs of children, foster care placements can range from just one weekend a month to others that last for many years. As a result, the fostering service believes that there are many people across Warwickshire who have the potential to perform this worthwhile and 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 other cultures and dual heritage children.
Full training and support is given to carers, who are matched to one of the 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 please contact the team on 01926 413313 or visit http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/fostering