Before I joined The Fostering Network as its chief executive, one of the things I most admired the organisation for – indeed, I sometimes wish I had been its chief executive at the time – was it leading the campaign to give young people the right to stay living with their former foster carers until the age of 21, if both parties agreed. The Fostering Network’s Don’t Move Me campaign led to the introduction of Staying Put across England, a policy which had the potential to be transformative in the lives of young care leavers.

In this fictional account, follow the Caregivers as they navigate the ups and downs of foster care, chronicling a journey full of surprises as they come to terms with their new role.

In this episode, Mrs Caregiver welcomes her first arrival, Jack, to her home. Patrick, the social worker, brings him to his new abode, and Mrs Caregiver officially embarks on her fostering journey. Here's episode two for your reading pleasure.

The novelist Harry Leon Wilson once wrote, 'Golf has too much walking to be a good game, and just enough game to spoil a good walk.' 

Fortunately, not everyone believes this to be the case. Had you happened to be at Wrotham Heath Golf Course in Kent on 28 June at 4.30 am, just as the sun was coming up, you would have stumbled across an unusual sight – four gentlemen, with a combined age well on the way to three centuries, about to start the longest golfing day of their lives.

On a glorious Saturday morning in June, Philip Jacob, funding and development manager at The Fostering Network, joined a happy throng of around 180 of our members, supporters, staff, friends, and family, all gathered to celebrate our fifth Foster Walk London. It was an amazing day and, for him, really affirmed what a positive thing it is we are all trying to achieve together by fundraising for this vital cause.

Here's what Phil has to say.

Step Up Step Down is The Fostering Network’s programme to help prevent children who are on the periphery of the care system in Northern Ireland from being taken into care, and instead supporting them to stay within their own homes.

Recently, the Step Up Step Down programme officer, Jade, enthusiastically contacted the parents and carers on the scheme, inviting them to the very first Incredible Years parenting course.

The course is designed to provide parents and carers with the tools and strategies that they need for a more positive family life at home, and is supported by a strong evidence base (www.incredibleyears.com).

In the final instalment of our young champions blog, we hear from Amy and Lauren. In case you missed them, here are parts one and two.

Mrs Caregiver is a former nursery school teacher who lives with her husband and two sons. She decided to apply to become a foster carer after clearing out her husband’s former study (he was sent out to manage his firm’s office in Guernsey Monday to Friday, and no longer needs it), realising she could put it to good use, and she and Mr Caregiver have finally been approved for this new adventure.

In this fictional account, follow the Caregivers as they navigate the ups and downs of foster care, chronicling a journey full of surprises as they come to terms with their new role.

Our series of Walking Tall workshops has now concluded, and we are delighted to report that it has been an absolutely informative, invaluable, and fun experience. 

When fostering a child who is of a different faith to you, the learning curve is steep and broad. There are all sorts of requirements that will need careful thought and consideration.

Are you ready to stop fostering, or have you considered stopping fostering in the past few months? I really do hope not but, it happens. Foster carers, for all sorts of reasons, sometimes decide to stop fostering and move on to other ‘adventures’. I’m aiming to find out why and what can be done to address some of the common factors that cause foster carers to stop fostering.