Charity calls on government to launch national campaign amid rise in number of children entering care homes

The UK is facing a fostering crisis where retiring carers are not being replaced by younger people, while the number of children entering care homes is rising, a charity has warned.

The decline in foster carers is due to the impact of the pandemic, the costof living crisis, biological children staying at home for longer, spare rooms being used as home offices and changing family situations, Barnardo’s children’s charity said.

Exclusive new polling of more than 4,000 adults for the charity showed that although nearly three quarters (73%) of adults in the UK were worried there are not enough foster carers, only 7% of those who are not currently approved carers would consider fostering a child within the next 10 years.

When asked why they wouldn’t consider becoming foster carers, 82% of over-55s thought they were “too old” – despite this being the average age of a Barnardo’s foster carer – while more than a third of 25- to 44-year-olds said they already have children or want children that are biologically connected to them instead (34%).

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In early December, children’s charity Fair Ways organised 182 children along with their families and carers to the cinema for a special private screening of Paddington in Peru, with Cineworld Cinemas where they joined the lovable bear on his adventure through the jungles of Peru.  

We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to the wonderful team at Cineworld Whiteley for their incredible support in making this event possible. Their warm hospitality, attention to detail, and the preparation of hundreds of boxes of popcorn and drinks ensured everyone felt welcome and cared for. This is the second year Cineworld Whiteley has hosted us, which is so appreciated, and already the Fair Ways Christmas film is seen as a special day in our Christmas event calendar. We hope it will develop into a much-loved Christmas tradition that our young people eagerly anticipate each year

In this heartwarming tale, Paddington discovers his tribe with the love and guidance of his adoptive family—a journey that reflects the power of belonging, no matter where you come from...

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We have an exciting opportunity for someone to join our Fostering Service, based in Caerphilly, covering the whole of Wales. You will be enthusiastic, creative and passionate about supporting children and young people who are looked after, and their fostering families. You will be able to work therapeutically with people who have experienced trauma and loss in their lives. You will work in a way that acknowledges and validates their experiences and work with hope that their future may be different. You will also have opportunities to design and deliver training to a team of committed foster parents and peers. You will have strong assessment skills in order to complete Form F's and annual reviews.

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Applicants should be able to travel across South West for home visits to support carers and children. Travel will include areas such as Somerset & Devon. Travel also requires the postholder to attend staff meetings and team away days.

This is a Senior Supervising Social Worker role with a focus on the matching process to ensure the best possible outcomes for children and young people who have experienced trauma due to adverse childhood experiences. The successful candidate will need to be confident in negotiating fostering fees, attending commissioning meetings, and adopting a therapeutic and trauma-informed approach when sharing monitoring information with local authorities. The successful candidate will also be required to complete inductions for new carers.

Overall Duties of the Senior Supervising Social Worker will include:

• An appropriate social work qualification
• Up-to-date registration with Social Work England
• Experience in fostering/family placements or other childcare settings
• Up-to-date knowledge of relevant legislation including the Fostering National Minimum Standards and Fostering regulations.
• Experience of working with/supporting looked after children and their foster carers.
• Knowledge of matching criteria and stability of placements.
• Capable of using electronic records systems and IT effectively, including participating in virtual meetings and webinars.

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At least 15 days per year – plus training and additional events

Are you an experienced panel member with a care experienced background? Do you want to use your expertise and passion to benefit children and young people currently in care? TACT is currently seeking  an experienced panel member with a care experienced background  to join our Central Fostering Panel in London and South East.

TACT is the UK’s largest fostering charity and has been providing loving families for vulnerable children and young people across the country for over 30 years. Our reputation and growth rests upon our strength in providing successful placements. As a charity, we do not have shareholders who receive profits – we invest all of our surplus income into service, staff, carers, and children’s development.

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We are currently seeking an Engagement and Content Officer to support our marketing & recruitment strategy. 

Role Summary:
To engage and develop trusting relationships with potential and approved foster families, noting their differences and also their different stages of preparedness for the task.  Our starting point is to build belief in our target audiences that they can be effective in our core task of fostering children, with the support of our community.  You will use a range of sophisticated communication methods along their journey to achieve this. 

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Would you like to join the Barnardo's Families Team offering bespoke support to families in Rhondda Cynon Taff?

This is an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated individual to join Barnardo's as a Team Manager within the Resilient Families Service, working across RCT, to support children, young people and their families. Our team is split into two areas covering the East and West of RCT. There is a Team Manager post in each area, and this vacancy is for the Team Manager of the East Team, covering the Cynon Valley and East half of Taff Ely.

​What will the job involve?
As a Team Manager you will be a registered Social Worker and will line manage the team of Intervention Workers who are responsible for providing advice, guidance and support to families in accordance with the aims and objectives of the service. You will be responsible for:

Direct line management of a team of Intervention Workers supporting well-being, development, case work, performance and behaviour.
Case allocation, monitoring, quality assurance and audit
Responding to all safeguarding concerns received via C1/PPN referrals, disclosures or observations and escalating to Children's Services appropriately.
Working in partnership with the Resilient Families Service Management Team, Children's Services, Education, Health and Community Agencies

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​The Engagement and Activity Practitioner (EAP) will work closely with the children and young people in the care of TACT foster carers across the North West. The Engagement and Activity Practitioner will facilitate opportunities for participation by organising, and, attending, events and trips that are in line with the children’s interests, developmental stages, and abilities, inclusive of children with additional needs. The Engagement and Activity Practitioner will continue the development of the children’s buddying club, for children to meet on a regular basis and share their views, ideas, and interests for TACT as an organisation to meet their needs.

Overall Duties of the Engagement Activity Practitioner will include:

• Being an accessible point of contact for the children living with our carers and to our young people, keeping them up to date with the facilities and opportunities available with TACT
• Supporting interventions and activities to ensure stable placement arrangements
• Being able to transport children and young people to events, appointments and meetings (mileage reimbursed)
• Organising and participating in virtual and face-to-face events and occasional residential meet-ups
• Managing all paperwork associated with events and activities
• Willingness to work flexibly, according to deadlines and needs of our families
• Undertaking trauma-informed direct work with children and young people 

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Could you help steer and govern a leading, high profile and dynamic East Anglian charity to new heights?

Are you committed to improving young lives?

If so, we have an exciting opportunity to join our organisation as a Trustee (voluntary position).

We are particularly seeking to recruit to the Board applicants with expertise in one of the following:

• Strategic leadership in children’s social care services
  
• Experienced strategic marketeer/communicator
  
• Strategic leadership in business or entrepreneurial expertise

What we are looking for:
We are seeking to recruit trustees with different areas of expertise who are committed to helping us to deliver our vision and mission.

We are committed to increasing the diversity of our Board and making sure we best reflect the young people and families we serve. For this reason, we would particularly welcome applications from:

• People, including young adults, who were in the care system themselves or who have lived experience of the care system
  
• Applicants from Black, Asian and minoritised ethnic backgrounds
  
• Applicants who have a disability

This is an opportunity to join an experienced and dedicated Trustee Board, working alongside a professional and skilled Senior Management Team that lead an agile and highly qualified workforce, to give the very best care to each young person in our services.

As a Break trustee you will:

• Help steer a large and complex organisation through further development of its strategic direction.
  
• Understand the difference between governance and executive management roles.
  
• Think strategically and creatively.
  
• Set clear corporate objectives and effectively performance manage.
  
• Be a role model and committed to the values of organisation.
  
• Have a track record of motivating others to strive for excellence.

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Supporting Teens in Digital Safety: A Guide for Foster Parents and Carers to Navigate TikTok Responsibly.

As a foster parent or carer, you play a vital role in helping the young people in your care navigate the digital world safely. Social media platforms like TikTok can be fun and engaging for teens, but they also come with risks that require your guidance. With 40% of TikTok’s 800 million active users aged between 14 and 24, it’s crucial for you to understand the platform’s potential dangers and learn how to support your teen in managing their online presence.

Why TikTok Deserves Your Attention
TikTok might look like a simple app for sharing short, entertaining videos, but it collects vast amounts of data and requires significant access to users’ devices. Knowing these risks helps you protect your teen while allowing them to enjoy the platform responsibly...

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