advice

The Fostering Network is a member of the Northern Ireland Anti-Bullying Forum.

The Anti-Bullying Week 2017 theme this year is "All Equal, All Different, and All Together". It aims to support schools and youth organisations to celebrate difference and diversity; bring children and young people together to celebrate what makes them and others unique; and help create welcoming and inclusive environments both off and online for children and young people.

As part of Anti Bullying Week, The Fostering Network is raising awareness among foster and kinship foster carers on how they can support the children they are looking after, if they are affected by bullying incidents or behaviour.

Safer caring is the means by which foster carers can ensure the safety and well-being of children and young people. Because the business of foster caring happens in the home of the carer, safer caring also aims to protect the well being of carers and their families. It covers a broad range of themes, such as forming healthy attachments, dealing with difficult behaviour appropriately, ensuring the protection of each member of the household and minimising the risk of allegations made against carers.

The Fostering Network works with foster carers and fostering service staff to try to eradicate educational inequality amongst care experienced children compared to their peers. A Guide to the Education of Looked After Children aims to demystify the complexities of the education system, and give foster carers the confidence to engage with schools and wider services to support the young people in their care to achieve their full potential.

I get back from Calais absurdly happy to see my family and determined to see this fostering thing through to its conclusion, to its beginning.

This instalment of the blog should really come with a disclaimer. Somewhere here in bold text should be words to this effect: *The actions of this blogger in no way constitute a statutory requirement for the fostering of asylum seeking children* Check. The objective of this blog is to give a detailed account of the fostering application process and I promise that this is what I’ll do, but I’m taking a little detour this week, a voluntary detour, via Calais…

The assessment is underway and we’re starting from the beginning, or as the form F calls it, the Early Years. Our assessor has sent us a list of questions as homework in preparation for her next visit this weekend.