The Fostering Network

A summary of the reports and consultations recently released relating to foster care in England

Andrew Walker, a member of The Fostering Network’s practice support team and a social worker, reflects on a summer of consultations and reports in England.

So much for work slowing down during the summer. The Westminster Government and related agencies issued a flurry of documents for consideration in June and July which have kept the Practice Support Team busy in between going away for their summer holiday.

Response to BBC story about cash incentives to recruit foster carers

In response to a BBC article about foster carers being offered cash incentives to move between fostering providers, Kevin Williams, chief executive of The Fostering Network, said: 'The Fostering Network has transfer protocols which guide the way in which fostering services should manage the movement of foster carers between fostering services, and which have support from across the fostering sector.

Unfounded allegations

Allegations against a foster carer by a child in their care is a subject most carers would rather not think about, believing it couldn’t happen to us. Sadly it happens to many of us and the majority of those who have allegations made against them are not new carers but experienced ones, just like a friend of mine and her husband who’d been fostering for 10 years.

A child arrives from overseas

We’ve all seen it on the news. We’ve watched the exodus of men, women and children with a mounting sense of horror and helplessness. We know that there are thousands upon thousands of children displaced from their homes and everything they’ve ever known. We know many of these children are on their own, traumatised, bewildered and afraid.

Launch of a new guide for foster carers supporting unaccompanied asylum seeking children

The Fostering Network has today launched its new guide for foster carers on supporting unaccompanied asylum seeking children. The guide, which is relevant UK-wide and is suitable for foster carers who are new to caring for unaccompanied asylum seeking children or who have been doing so for some time, is available to download as an eBook for £2 each or £20 for 20. Printed versions of the guide can also be arranged on request.

Campaigns update June 2016

Aside from fretting over the home nations' performances in the Euros, there's been a lot else going on in our campaigns team over the past few weeks.

Ben Weighill talks Dreams and aspirations

Ben Weighill, 25, is an amateur singer/songwriter from Chesterfield who is the voice behind the soundtrack to the new Dreams advert – a cover of Cyndi Lauper’s Time After Time.

Dreams, the UKs leading bed specialist, has teamed up with The Fostering Network to raise money and awareness for foster care around the UK. As part of this partnership Dreams is donating its proceeds from sales of Ben’s single.

Buy it today from Amazon, Google Play or iTunes and support the work of The Fostering Network.

Attitude

I was recently asked by a social worker if I’d have a chat with a relatively new foster carer about the behaviour of the 12-year-old she was fostering. Her main complaint was that the girl had a bad ‘attitude’ and swore. On the scale of things this behaviour didn’t seem too bad to me so I had to think carefully what to say.

Our response to Estyn's report about the educational attainment of looked after children in Wales

Dr Emily Warren, director of The Fostering Network in Wales, said: ‘We are aspirational for all children, and we want to celebrate the successes, educational or otherwise, of children who grow up living in foster care.

The waiting game

It’s been a while since I’ve blogged. For those of you who were following my family’s journey into foster care, you’ll know that we were approved as foster carers at the end of April this year, and I’ve been indulging in a little radio silence since then.

“The difference that a good foster parent can make is world changing”: Ashley Baptiste on growing up in care