This September, we’re exploring what Team Fostering means to the many different people who know us best. Our foster carers, our staff and the young people we support all share their views in a brand-new campaign; ‘This is My Team Fostering’. We know that our staff and carers often have a range of reasons that draw them towards Team Fostering. From our comprehensive package of fees and support, to the close-knit staff team, to our not-for-profit status – all of these factors contribute to how our agency is viewed and valued by the people we work with every day. To explore some of these aspects, we asked our fantastic foster carer Helen to tell us more about what Team Fostering means to her. “In 2009, my partner Neil agreed with me to look into fostering - my family had fostered when I was small and Neil’s mum was a social worker. We did a lot of research - we contacted our local authorities and also Team Fostering after seeing an advert. We read Ofsted reports and spoke to existing carers. From our first meeting we knew it had to be Team; the not-for-profit status was really important. In the September of 2009, we were finally approved as foster carers and our lives changed completely. I now count many Team carers as my best friends, we’re all very different but the thing that we share is our passion for making children and young people’s lives better. When things go wrong, I know I can count on their knowledge and support. If I need to ring Team Fostering out of normal hours, the phone will be answered, and I actually know who I’m speaking to. Sometimes all you need is reassurance that you are doing the right thing. It hasn’t all been plain sailing but the high points keep you going, things like a child being invited to a friend’s birthday party for the first time; going to a young man’s graduation with his mum and feeling like you will burst with pride; having two girls squeeze your hands as an aeroplane takes off on their first flight. It’s not always the big things either; it can simply be being asked for another hug at bedtime, singing along to the radio together or giggling at silly jokes. I’m lucky that the children and young people who have lived with us in the past still stay in touch and think of us as family, and we consider them as our family too. I sometimes joke that I can’t get rid of them but I really wouldn’t want to. If you’re thinking of joining Team, I would recommend that you look up Ofsted reports, ask for a visit and talk to existing carers. Being a Team Fostering foster carer isn’t simply a job - it’s a lifestyle, a family. We celebrate the successes of all the children not just the ones who live with us. Team Fostering is completely child-focused - from managers, office staff, social workers and carers we all work together because we share a common goal, to make a difference. As a lovely African proverb said: 'It takes a village to raise a child.’ You can read more more about the 'This is My Team Fostering' campaign here, and follow it on social media using the #MyTeamFostering hashtag. To find out more about fostering with Team Fostering, give us a call on 0800 292 2003; live chat with us here on our website, or leave us an enquiry here. Source: www.teamfostering.co.uk Darren doesn’t think he looks like a ‘typical’ foster carer. He’s a single male, over 50 and after his own family left home last year, he started to foster. Here he talks about his recent experience of being a male carer and why more men should foster. 59-year-old Darren from Bristol is a single dad with eight children and 22 grandchildren. He had always wanted to foster but didn’t have the space. When the last of his children left home in 2019, he had the time and space to follow his dream. Darren said: “I thought if I don’t do it now I never will. I looked at a few agencies but chose Action for Children because they’re a non-for-profit charity, and it was important for me to choose an organisation that puts children first. “Over the past year, I’ve had a few young people live with me. My first child was a 13-year-old boy and my family got on so well with him. My granddaughters loved him, and they would take him cycling and to the park, which helped him settle in. “When he had to move on, they really missed him, and they keep in touch with him now. Family is so important, and my children and grandchildren are a big support network for me. I’ve got one daughter who lives up the road and she will stay with him if I need a break or to pop out”. Before he began to foster, Darren spent years working with children with disabilities. This, along with his large family, gave him the confidence to foster. He said: “One of the main reasons more men don’t foster is because they think they’ll be judged or discriminated against, as caring for children is often considered more of a woman’s role. That isn’t the case.
“Like any single parent, they might also worry about being responsible for that child without someone else around. People don’t realise how much support there is. If I need anything, my social worker and the whole team are there. “As a single male I did have concerns at first but doing the training with Action for Children and chatting to their team reassured me. If you don’t know what to do, you ask the social workers and follow the procedures. They are there to keep everyone safe. Men should come forward because there are many children who need a positive male role model. “Lots of people, irrespective of gender, can offer children in foster care what they need. For me, I’ve always been calm and laid back. My kids say if I was any more laid back, I’d be asleep! Having listening skills and observing is important because a child might be telling you one thing but mean something else. It’s also good to have a sense of humour, I’m a bit of a clown and a big kid at heart which helps. “I really enjoy fostering, seeing the kids grow and do new things. I took one boy to a carnival and loved seeing the look on his face; he’d never been to one before. He was only with me for a few months, but I was told his time with me transformed him into a much calmer, happier kid. It’s great to know I’m helping a child to become independent, so they can go out into the world. “To me, it’s all about family. When the foster children are with you, they’re part of your family. It’s about them experiencing normal family life and feeling part of that. If you’re a man and you’re thinking about fostering, I would say: don’t be put off. Men can make great foster carers and you’ll receive lots of support. There are many children out there that need a safe home, so go for it." Want to follow in Darren’s footsteps? Talk to us about becoming a foster carer Source: www.actionforchildren.org.uk |
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