Everybody knows teenagers. They're the ones who know it all, the ones who always have an answer, the ones who rarely let you get a word in edgeways. But for the thousands of teenagers throughout the UK who can't live with their birth families, these difficult behaviours can be the mask in front of the hurt that is only exacerbated by having no place to call home. That's why a stable, loving foster home can make the world of difference. Carla was taken into foster care at the age of 12, but - in her own words - she began to display challenging behaviours, especially at school. Carla says: "One day when I was at school I stood defiantly in front of the head teacher and lit a cigarette. He was telling me to put it out. I just kept saying why, who are you going to tell? I don't live with my mum and my social worker doesn't care. I don't have anyone you can tell." Within a year Carla had been to seven different foster families, and social services were struggling to find anywhere for her to live. Her previous behaviours and various placement breakdowns meant she was destined for a residential placement which wouldn't have met her needs, until she met the Randalls. Carla continues: "My most poignant memory of being in care is probably the first day I went to the Randalls' house. I compared the house to a palace and I literally jumped up and down when no one was looking. I even had my own room. I can remember exactly what everyone was wearing, my foster mum's smile and what we had for dinner. "My foster mum was kind and she knew I was scared. That night she came into my bedroom in the middle of the night where I lay on top of the bed awake and reassured me that I could get under the covers and make myself comfortable. From then on it wasn't all rainbows and smiles, it took a lot of hard work and understanding on their part to make me feel secure and trust that things would work out." Carla received lots of support and stability, and with the help of her foster carers she moved schools and was encouraged to work hard to get her GCSEs. Carla received extra tuition and support to catch up on the school work she had missed out on over the years. She then studied social work at the University of East Anglia, and whilst at university, Carla frequently returned to the Randalls'. When she finished there was no question about where she was going to live - like most of her friends, she went home to her foster family. She also started working in a residential children's home. "I got to work with children that were like I used to be. Full of attitude, mixing with the wrong crowds, displaying challenging behaviour. It was a great experience for me, I just wanted to help them, show them that there is a different path. "Looking back now I realised that the Randalls saved my life. I never understood the extent of the neglect and abuse I had endured until I came to live with a 'normal' loving family. They nurtured a young, angry, untrusting teenager to become a positive, empathetic and successful young woman." Today Carla works for a fostering agency called Little Acorns Fostering, and she gives back to the system that, in the end, helped her move forward as an individual. Sadly Carla's early time within the care system doesn't make her a unique case. Two in five (40%) fostered teenagers are already living with their third foster family since coming into care, and one in twenty (5%) are on at least their tenth family in care. Stability affects us all, and when you have none you feel alone. Children in foster care are our children, and as a member of a fair and good society we have a duty to do all we can to make them feel loved and supported. They deserve a positive future as much as any child and at The Fostering Network we're determined to help them achieve that. Good foster care changes lives, it saves lives, and it develops lives. I know that many reading this article won't have the life situation where they can foster, but if you have a spare room, are over 18, and have love and the passion and dedication to learn new skills - then come forward and find out if you could help someone like Carla build a life that they can be proud of. Visit fostering.net to find your local fostering service. Everyone knows teenagers. They're the ones who need love and stability. Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/kevin-williams/foster-care-fortnight_b_7492716.html Fostering News: ‘Foster carers perceive special guardianship orders as nothing short of blackmail’2/6/2015
There is growing suspicion that too many special guardianship decisions are influenced by financial motives, writes Alan Fisher Two young children, a brother and sister, settled with their foster carer. Everyone was surprised and delighted at how much progress they had made in such a short time, and the carer was happy to continue with their placement. Then everything changed. Suddenly, the carer was told she was uncaring, selfish and not committed. She was told the children would be removed unless she bowed to local authority pressure to take out a Special Guardianship Order (SGO). This is the human story behind growing fears that the misuse of SGOs is tantamount to permanence on the cheap, rather than the best option for a child or young person. Dramatic rise SGOs came into use at the end of 2005. Their intention is to provide permanency for a child or young person where that child is already part of the family, usually their birth family, and increasingly with foster carers. The child is no longer looked after by the council, which nevertheless retains a duty to provide ongoing, but unspecified, support. The numbers have shot up dramatically recently: 3,330 SGOs were issued between April 2013 and March 2014, compared with 1,290 in 2010. The number of babies has tripled in the last two years, rising from 160 in 2012 to 520 in 2014. This contrasts with a significant fall in the number of adoptions in the past year, following the Munby judgement that adoption is ‘a very extreme thing, a last resort’. It is claimed that cash-strapped local authorities, already consumed by the expense of complex court action and of foster placements, can save time and money by pushing for SGOs. Reservations Special guardianship provides a distinctive permanence option, especially where a child would benefit from contact with their birth family and/or continuity within their foster family.Wade et al’s recent research demonstrates its efficacy in achieving stability. Speaking at a conference late last year, John Simmonds, the director of policy, research and development at BAAF and one of the study’s authors, expressed extensive reservations about the use of SGOs. “There’s a particular concern about making orders where the relationship between the child and the special guardians has not been established,” he said. He emphasised “the importance of preparation, assessment, and having the time and resources to do that well in a similar way to that in foster care and adoption.” Blackmail Concern among foster carers is building. Some have been told that they must either take out an SGO or the child will be moved. They perceive this as nothing short of blackmail. Also, SGOs are being introduced far earlier than should be the case, before a full assessment of the child’s needs. Further, adequate support packages are not guaranteed, leaving carers feeling vulnerable, yet Wade et al found one third of SGO carers in their study failed to get a break and a quarter said they were tired “most of the time”. Half said they were not properly prepared for the placement, while 40% felt under pressure from councils when making their decision, 20% defining that pressure as ‘strong’. I have been consulted on four cases this year where the option of carers taking out an SGO was raised with short-term foster carers before the placement was six months old. When challenged, social workers told carers: “It’s our policy.” Suspicion lingers In one case, the foster carer of a baby with multiple disabilities and health problems was pressurised to take out an SGO before medical assessments were complete, therefore it was impossible to predict the nature and extent of his future support package. A year later and they were still no further forward, yet the pressure continued and eventually the carer was told the child would be removed from her care if she refused. The DfE have begun a review of special guardianship. Despite the problems there are beacon examples of good local authority practice that deserve to be shared. Until then, the suspicion lingers that too many decisions are being unduly influenced by financial expediency – and that cannot be good for children. Alan Fisher is an Independent Children’s Social Work Consultant and former chair of Fostering Through Social Enterprise Source: http://www.communitycare.co.uk/2015/06/02/foster-carers-perceiving-special-guardianship-orders-nothing-short-blackmail/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter With 8, 370 loving homes desperately needed by vulnerable children across the UK, Barnardo’s is asking would-be foster carers with love to give to come forward & offer children a stable home as part of Foster Care Fortnight 1– 14 June (1). Since 2010, the number of vulnerable children coming into care across the UK has risen by 8% (2). It’s estimated by the Fostering Network that 8,370 foster carers are needed around the UK. Without enough stable and caring foster homes to place these children in, they risk being moved around or not being placed in the family that is best for them. Meanwhile siblings often risk being split up. The charity is urging would-be foster carers to sign up and reap the rewards of giving these overlooked children a loving home, as part of the ‘Foster Care Fortnight’nationwide recruitment drive by the Fostering Network. With same-sex adopting and fostering couples reaching record highs this year, Barnardo’s is calling on carers from every walk of life to come forward. The charity particularly specialises in placing children from diverse backgrounds in loving foster homes, which will help change their life for the better. Barnardo’s chief executive Javed Khan comments: “We believe that good and loving foster care is crucial to giving vulnerable children the happy home they so desperately need and deserve. However too many may never experience the stability and care so many of us take for granted because there simply aren’t enough foster carers to meet these children’s needs. “Single or in a couple, black or white, same-sex or heterosexual; we are asking would-be carers from all walks of life who have love to give to come forward and provide homes for these youngsters.” Barnardo’s is reaching out to carers who want to provide homes for older children, siblings, and disabled children, for whom the need for loving foster homes is particularly acute. Pioneers of modern day fostering, Barnardo’s first placed children in family settings more than one hundred years ago. Today the charity is urgently calling for foster carers who will look after children for either short breaks of just a few weeks, a number of years, or until they reach adulthood. Barnardo’s guides foster carers through a detailed matching process and provides ongoing support. The charity also runs parenting courses that prepare foster carers for the process and equip them with the skills to provide support, love and encouragement to some of the UK’s most vulnerable children. This support ensure that foster carers will never ‘go it alone’. Foster carers come from all walks of life and you don’t have to come from a childcare profession to foster children. Source: http://www.barnardos.org.uk/news/Foster_carers_Help_give_children_8370_loving_homes/latest-news.htm?ref=104977 FtSE Member News: The Foster Care Co-operative - Foster Care Fortnight™ Jaimie, A Foster Care Leaver1/6/2015
As part of Foster Care Fortnight™, we are publishing various accounts and articles from within our organisation. Today Jaimie, aged 19, tells her moving story of being in foster care. She is currently studying to go to University. “I was taken into foster care at the age of 12. Most young people will feel alone and confused at some point during their childhoods; and living with the feeling that you have no family, home or hope is truly devastating. Like many children school was very hard for me, I felt like an outcast, and a loner – that no one could understand. I was brought up by my grandmother who did her best for me, but not having the ‘typical’ linear family I saw around me made me feel desperate and ashamed. In a turn of events when I was moved into a foster home, I became a parallel of my former self. My foster mother taught me an indispensable amount of life skills in a very short amount of time; hygiene rules - I had to brush my teeth twice a day, a bedtime routine - go to sleep earlier, and discipline - to not answer back. Soon I had built a friendship group and gained confidence I never thought I could have. Before this I had never had a friend around for dinner, no-one had seen into my house before, and this was something friends I tried to make were previously very suspicious about. At 13 I had my first birthday party, with friends, ice-cream, dancing; all thanks to a wonderful foster carer and her extended family who made me feel like a normal, happy child. The whole family were welcoming and kind, making me feel like a member of their family and not an outsider. All of the foster carers I have stayed with have aided in giving me the knowledge and skills I have today. Now living independently, and studying to go to University I feel so blessed that all these individuals have been so charitable to me, and have pushed me to a place I never thought I could reach. Being a foster child was one of the scariest, most life changing, but positive roads my life could have taken and I am so grateful to the foster carers who gave me a home, and the people who work so hard to make it happen. It saddens me to think of all the children out there who are feeling hopeless and that they do not belong - like did as a child. I hope that in the future more people can reach out and help, like I have had happen to me, because every child deserves to be happy and feel loved.” Source: http://www.fostercarecooperative.co.uk/fostering-with-us/news-and-events/foster-care-fortnight-jaimie-a-foster-care-leaver/ Foster Care Fortnight™ is the UK’s biggest foster care awareness raising campaign, led by leading fostering charity, The Fostering Network. It is running between Monday 1st June and Sunday 14th June 2015. This year’s theme is ‘Make A Connection’ and foster carers and staffing teams are encouraged to highlight their association with fostering; whether it be the length of time they have been foster carers or how many children they have supported – the connection is not always professional, it could be a neighbour, family member or another form or support network. There are over 46,000 children in the care of local authorities in England and Wales, with 55% of them aged 10 and over. Statistics showed that 30,430 started to be looked after in 2014, with an average of 1 child being taken into care every 15 minutes. It is estimated that a further 8,370 foster carers are needed this year alone in England and Wales to meet the demand, and to provide the supportive, stable and caring home for these vulnerable children. (Statistics Courtesy of BAAF and The Fostering Network) Here’s what we’re up to over the next two weeks – keep an eye on our website and the social media sites for more: • ‘Day in a Life of a Foster Carer’ stories • ‘My Connection’ to foster care pictures • Quotes from Foster Carers, children, teenagers and care leavers Recruitment Events - Could you be a Foster Carer? • Wednesday 3rd June – Mold Market, Flintshire between 8am – 2pm • Friday 5th June – Xscape Yorkshire, Castleford between 10am – 6pm • Friday 5th June – Cambridge Central Library, Cambridge between 9.30am – 3pm • Saturday 6th June – Kenilworth Show, Warwickshire between 10am – 4pm • Thursday 11th June – Liverpool Central Library between 9.30am – 4.30pm • Thursday 11th June – The Forum, Norwich between 10am – 4pm • Friday 12th June – Foster Walk in Blaenau Gwent between 1pm – 4pm • Friday 12th June – Star City, Birmingham between 10am – 4pm • Saturday 13th June – Gloucestershire Pride, Gloucester between 10am – 4pm • Sunday 14th June – Fargo Village, Coventry between 11am – 4pm In the Press: • Our foster carers Tina, Mo and Rose have been interviewed with care leaver Jaimie, all have been quoted alongside Hollywood actor Michael Sheen:http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/could-you-foster-child-teenager-9363058 • Article all about us by Nation Radio: http://www.nationradio.com/event_items/foster-care-fortnight/ • This article mentions the Foster Walk we’ll be taking part in with The Fostering Network on Friday 12th June:http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/13090915.FOSTER_CARE_FORTNIGHT__Campaign_highlights_urgent_need_for_more_foster_families/ On the Radio: • Listen to our staff and foster carer interviews and adverts on Nation Radio:http://www.nationradio.com/event_items/foster-care-fortnight/ • Listen to our adverts on Capital Radio: http://www.capitalfm.com/southwales/ • Listen to our adverts on Heart Radio: http://www.heart.co.uk/northwales/ Source: http://www.fostercarecooperative.co.uk/fostering-with-us/news-and-events/its-foster-care-fortnight-/ I AM writing to draw the attention of your readers to the ever-growing and urgent need for more foster carers in your area. Sadly, the number of children entering the care system continues to rise, with a particular shortage of foster carers for young people aged 10-17 years old. I was fortunate to spend part of my childhood with foster families who gave me a sense of belonging, stability and security – something I passionately believe all children and young people both need and deserve. At present, more than 68,000 children are in care in England, 75 per cent of whom are in foster care, but still more foster carers are needed and especially for 10-17 year olds who need care, consistency, stability and love to flourish. I understand the prospect of fostering may seem daunting but with the right support it can be a hugely rewarding experience helping a young person to turn their life around. As the very proud patron of TACT, the UK’s largest fostering and adoption charity, I see the real difference that their high-quality foster carers are making to the lives of young people and children across the UK. And not only this, I also see the incredible support the charity provides to foster carers which is so pivotal to their track record of highly successful foster placements. People from a variety of backgrounds come forward to foster, bringing with them a wide range of unique skills. This Fostering Fortnight, I strongly urge your readers to think about whether they might have the patience, understanding and motivation to foster a young person. As a foster carer, you can truly transform a young person’s life, setting them on the path to a brighter future. Contact TACT today to find out more on 0808 256 2727 or visit tactcare.org.uk/about-us LORRAINE PASCALE Patron of TACT Source: http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/yoursay/13216831.Rewards_of_fostering/ As part of Foster Care Fortnight (1st – 14th June) we are appealing for foster carers who want to provide stable homes for fostered teenagers. This appeal supports the findings from a recent survey carried out by The Fostering Network which reveals that two in five (40%) of fostered teenagers are already living with their third family in care and as many as 1 in 20 (5%) of teenagers are already living with their 10th family in care. These moves can have a detrimental effect on the wellbeing of a young person and their ability to make and maintain long lasting relationships. Being able to match a young person with a foster family who has the skills and experience to meet their needs will benefit the young person in the long run through positive experiences and the relationship built with their foster family. “Teenagers in the looked after system have similar needs to children who live at home; loving, stable surroundings and support from a parental figure” said Vicky Davidson Boyd, Chief Executive Officer at Team Fostering. “They need people who have patience, kindness and humour helps too. Support for young people at this stage in their life is crucial to help them turn their lives around. Knowing you have made a difference to a young person’s life is by far one of the most rewarding experiences for a foster carer.” We work with nearly 200 foster carers across the North East, Yorkshire and the East Midlands. If you would like to know more about fostering fill out our online enquiry form. Source: http://www.teamfostering.co.uk/feeds/news/fostered-teens-need-stability.aspx Teenagers in foster care in the UK are being moved too often, a survey has suggested. More than a third of teenagers in care are already living with their third foster family, according to research carried out by The Fostering Network. The charity said being moved from home to home was "hugely detrimental" to wellbeing and education. It also said the country needs about 8,000 more foster carers to cope with rising demand. Around 52,500 of the 63,000 children in care in the UK live with foster families and the vast majority will spend their entire childhoods in foster care with only around 10% being adopted, The Fostering Network said. The research found that one in four (25%) fostered teenagers are living with at least their fourth family in care, and one in six (17%) with their fifth. 'Split up'A spokesman said: "Being moved from home to home can have a hugely detrimental effect on children's education, well-being and ability to make and maintain relationships. "Not being able to find the right foster carer also means that children too often have to live a long way from family, friends and school and are split up from their brothers and sisters." The charity said the figures showed the need for more foster carers and it predicted the UK would need 8,300 more carers to cope with demand in the coming years. The survey was released to mark the start of charity's annual annual Foster Care Fortnight campaign, which runs until Sunday 14 June and is the UK's annual awareness campaign about fostering. Jackie Sanders, director of The Fostering Network, said: "As each year passes, we see more and more children coming into care. "We need people who can open their heart, and their homes, to vulnerable children and young people and use their skills to help support them to reach their full potential. "In particular we need people who have the skills, patience and passion to look after teenagers who may have had a really tough time and be facing some real challenges, and to offer them love, stability and security." The survey was completed in April by 1,125 foster carers about 1,608 children in their care. Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-32954803 |
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