Foster carers wanted
Warwickshire Fostering Service is echoing findings of a national report released yesterday (5 August) calling for more foster carers.
The Fostering Network study, ‘Bursting at the Seams’, highlights the steep increase in the number of children being taken into care following the death of Baby Peter in 2007 and stresses the urgent need for more carers.
It warns central government and councils that the care system is struggling to meet children’s needs and will be unsustainable unless more foster carers are recruited and retained.
Reflecting the national picture, Warwickshire County Council has seen an increase of 18 per cent of children coming into care in the past two years, this equates to an extra 92 vulnerable youngsters requiring temporary and permanent homes.
To meet this demand the service is urging more people to consider becoming foster carers. Training and support is offered to all the county’s carers who are paid an allowance to meet the costs of caring for a child.
The team frequently holds information sessions around the county where people can come along to find out more about what this rewarding career entails or more information is available online at http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/fostering.
Warwickshire Fostering Service Manager Sylvia Vickers said: “This report has brought to the fore, the increased need for high quality care for the county’s young people who are not able to live with their own families.
“With growing pressure on local authorities to provide the best life chances to all children whilst resources are being squeezed, these vulnerable youngsters need more support than ever and I hope people will come forward to find out more about how they can help.
“Much like the children they look after, carers come in all shapes and sizes and we find the best match for each circumstance.”
Warwickshire County Councillor Heather Timms, portfolio holder for children, young people and families added: “To be a carer what matters most is having time, space, commitment, patience, a caring nature and skills to work with children and their families.
“In Warwickshire we have some wonderful carers who carry out this crucial role every day. Their work does not go unrecognised, and I would like to take this opportunity to commend their unwavering commitment.”
“In Warwickshire we are particularly interested to hear from people who can offer long term care and provide a stable home for teenagers.
The evidence for the report was compiled by the Fostering Network from interviews and surveys with 76 fostering services (61 local authorities and 15 independent fostering providers) and 307 foster carers from England, Scotland and Wales. The full report can be downloaded at http://www.fostering.net/resources.
For more information about fostering for Warwickshire and to find out about the different schemes carers are matched with call or visit http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk.