Foster carer recruitment

The retention and recruitment of foster carers in England - members' views and research opportunity

Over the last few months, we asked our members to share their views on the final report of the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care in England. They did so through our care review survey, at focus groups and in forum meetings.

Daisy Elliott, research and evidence manager at The Fostering Network, focuses on one of the biggest challenges currently facing the foster care sector – the retention and recruitment of foster carers. Daisy shares details of research we are doing on this issue and how foster carers and fostering services can get involved.

Ambassadors for fostering

Emma Newey has been the recruitment and engagement officer for the fostering team at Bury Council for eight years. In this blog Emma writes about their ambassador scheme and how it benefits the service, foster carers and children in foster care.

A view from the other side

Since Foster Care Fortnight 2018 Niki Clemo has joined The Fostering Network having previously worked as a senior manager in a children's trust. In this blog Niki shares her unique perspective on Foster Care Fortnight and our work in England.

Exit interviews - your views needed

Michelle, who is running our Foster Carer Retention project is aiming to find out why foster carers stop fostering and what can be done to address some of the common factors behind the decison to leave the role.

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.

Judgement day

It’s a beautiful, sunny Wednesday morning. We’re suited and booted and on our way to panel to be approved as foster carers. We’re meeting Stef (our Form F assessor) at a café near to where the panel is taking place, to have a little run through the potential questions we can expect. As someone who has served on the panel, I have a view on the questions I might have asked us if the roles were reversed. And I have a plan.

The heart of the matter

If you’ve been following my blog you’ll know that my husband and I are going to panel to be approved as foster carers on 20th April (or not as the case may be).

A weight off

It’s Friday evening. In the dining room there are four very noisy, very excited boys getting stuck into their sleepover fun. They are shrieking at each other, their mouths open to reveal half masticated hotdog as they discuss the merits of the caterpillar game (a pursuit involving sleeping bags and a staircase). I wonder whether it was such a great idea to suggest tonight as the night to sign off our Form F assessment with our assessor Stef. But anyway it’s too late; Stef arrives at the peak of the children’s excitement.

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