Last year, Kate Osborne was elected as MP for Jarrow in the North East of England for the first time. Prior to this, Kate was a foster carer. Before lockdown was announced in March, Vicki Swain, campaigns manager at The Fostering Network, went to meet her at her office in the House of Commons. She found out more about Kate's experience of fostering and how she plans to support other foster carers in her role as an MP.

Earlier this week, Dr Nikki Luke, a research fellow at the Rees Centre, University of Oxford, and two care experienced colleagues, Charmaine and Jade, published Education and Care: A resource for young people. This blog follows a conversation she and Daisy Elliott, policy and research officer at The Fostering Network, had about the resource and wider research project.

Schools in Scotland have now reopened and the next month should see term begin across Northern Ireland, England and Wales. While school opening arrangements will vary across the four nations, this blog offers foster carers suggestions on how to smooth the process for children and young people.

With A level results being received in England, Northern Ireland and Wales, Dr Jonathan Kirkup from Cardiff University gives his advice for students about the process of going through clearing

Veronica has been a foster carer for almost 12 years. Together with her husband, she currently cares for two young women, one of which is an asylum seeking teenager who arrived in the UK all by herself when she was 16. In this blog Veronica tells us what this is like and why the two women are such a good match.

All names in this blog have been changed for anonymity. 

Sunflower was only 16 when she came to the UK after being forced to leave her family, her home country and everything she knew. When she arrived, she was alone and didn’t speak any English. A year later she has learnt the language, settled in and started dreaming about the future. A testimony of young people’s resilience and the importance of foster care. 

All names in this blog have been changed for anonymity. 

FASD (Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder) affects children in care disproportionately, but it's little understood. 

Sue and Tony Sharp are long-term foster carers looking after twin 10-year-old boys with a diagnosis of FASD along with a number of other diagnoses - and all this on top of the trauma the boys experienced in their early years. 

This interview with Sue and Tony is the first in a series of four blogs about FASD and trauma, based on a briefing that Sue and Tony developed in association with The National Organisation for FASD and the East Hertfordshire and Area FASD Support Network. 

Read the other blogs:

• Understanding FASD
• FASD and trauma (part 1)
• FASD and trauma (part 2)  - top tips
• You can read more about FASD on our web page.

Daisy Elliott, our policy and research officer, follows up with Professor Beth Neil about her research into facilitating contact during lockdown. Neil's research, funded by the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory, provides a valuable insight into challenges and benefits regarding contact and what is crucial when contact is moved to an online space.

My name is Elle. I am a 19 year old, currently in a ‘staying put’ arrangement and living the lockdown life. If I had to introduce myself I would tell you about my interest in fitness and sports (I am utterly mediocre at both) and I would tell you about my love of singing and dancing despite having stage fright. I’d say that I’m intelligent (only because my foster parents would tell you so) and I would especially tell you that I am funny. Because I am.

Educating at home poses a challenge to many families currently. Here Nuala Fitzpatrick, a qualified teacher and project worker on The Fostering Attainment and Achievement project in Northern Ireland, shares her top tips on how foster carers can support their 11-14 year old’s (Key Stage Three 3) learning at home during the coronavirus outbreak.