Story By Iddi Cayman CFT Apprentice and Care Leaver

All I knew was that I was going to be going abroad for a proper holiday, not to say I didn’t have an amazing time in a static caravan in Wales the previous year. I was 12 and this would be the first time I would leave the country and the first time I would be flying, and I was very excited. My Foster Carers had suggested that we go to sleep at 19:00 however I was on a holiday buzz and I wasn’t going to sleep. I stayed up to watch TV until 22:30 where we all started the rush to shower and change before embarking on our car journey to the airport for a 01:30am flight. We all loaded into the car and there was a silence as my brothers and sister fell asleep within 10 minutes of the journey.

I sat watching the dark streets blur past the car window and it wasn’t long until we were pulling into the airport parking facilities. At this point, we started what felt like half an hour walk from the parking facilities to the airport itself. Despite weighing my suitcase after almost every item of clothing I was nervous that my case would be overweight. My brothers and I made bets on the weights of each bag. I was now five euros down.

Going through security put me on edge as my first experience with airport security would be the first of many checks. Of course, I would be asked to go through the full body scanner tube. I was so embarrassed and as soon as I was through, I regrouped with my Carers. A few airport security jokes later we journeyed through duty-free, I was amazed at all the high-end brand and products. I was ready to splurge all my pocket money when my Carer reminded me how annoyed I would be if I waste my money now.

Time to board, and I had a rush of different emotions, I was nervous I was flying, excited I was going on holiday and happy to be in another country in about 4 hours. I won the window seat, but there wasn’t much to see outside apart from the lights from the airport building. I settled into my seat, and the plane’s engines began to whirl up as we were going to begin the flight.

We took off, and I never forget the first time I felt that sensation and feeling that taking off gives you. Once we were up in the air, I looked out and saw all the lights across the city it was amazing. My brother hated me because I had the window seat to take in the view and within 10 minutes, I was falling asleep. I woke 2 hours into the flight and was startled by the sight out of the window of the wing of the plane bouncing and flexing. My Carer explained that the wing must flex, bend and bounce to enable the wings not to snap off.

I listened to music for the rest of the flight and time soon passed. We began our descent to the island of Rhodes, and I could see the lights scattered across the whole island and I was ready to get off this plane. The plane came into land and I was so excited I didn’t even realize we had landed; I was already grabbing my bags when my Carers insisted we waited for everyone else to get off. I remember the wall of hot moist air just hitting me as I walked out of the plane door it was intense.

We hopped on the transfer bus and were dropped off by an inlet area of the airport, where we were greeted by a series of security kiosks where we provided our passports and were waved through. We grabbed our bags from the conveyor belts and met our coach outside a short 15-minute ride to our hotel. We were given our keys and picked up on go-karts to our rooms with our luggage, it was about 06:50 when we arrived, and I wasn’t tired despite only sleeping 2 of the last 24 hrs. I lay in bed and I was out like a light.

The breakfast was amazing with all different types of foods from across Europe to choose from, and I wanted it all. We all had our fill and discussed the plan for the day. My brothers and I returned to the rooms to get ready to explore the facilities that were on offer to us. We visited the Blue Bay hotels Water park and 6 swimming pools which were only seconds away from the sea. Our balcony view was looking out to sea and in the distance, you could see Turkey. For the first day, my younger brother and I explored and abused the free all-inclusive ice-cream and fizzy drinks by making coke floats on holiday.

The second day we learned of the free entry bands for the water park for hotel residents, so we spent the whole day there briefly seeing the rest of our family in passing. I loved the freedom that this holiday gave me. At the water park I made friends with others around my age, and we grew close very quickly. Before the end of the day, we were all hanging out while our families were at the evening entertainment; Karaoke wasn’t my thing.

One evening my mates and I walked to a restaurant in the hotel complex called Pegasus. I felt very mature going for a meal without parents and Carers at a restaurant; of course, while in this foreign country I thought I must try some of the traditional Greek food. I ordered a burger however it counts as exploring with food since I had halloumi on it. It was delicious and my love for halloumi had begun.

I was a different person on holiday. I could be whoever I wanted to be, and it allowed me to recreate myself. As far as these people knew I wasn’t in foster care, I’m with my dad and new stepmom.

On this holiday I was still exploring my fashion sense in terms of clothing. I had all different styles of clothing I wore on holiday from a bright red button-up shirt to purple chinos or trainers with my name embroidered on them. That one look I promise won’t happen again, but I have one outfit which I still bring out once a year and it is for partly Irony and all novelty. I still enjoy a truly awful Hawaiian shirt the goofier the better with short Cream chino shorts!

The final day of our holiday felt sad. To be honest I feel once you can’t use your own room the holiday is already over. I was incredibly upset, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t throw a strop leaving the hotel on the coach to the airport. However, my Carers took one look at me and reminded me to not ruin the week that we have all shared, which had been incredible, and I will never forget.

My first holiday was amazing, and I looked forward to each holiday in the years to follow, they were all different and special in their own way.

Source:
https://thecft.org.uk/news/time-to-board

Our Midlands Office based in Bromsgrove, West Midlands, is looking to recruit an exceptional person to support our Foster Carers and Children. The successful candidate will work closely with our social work and administration team.

Location
Bromsgrove, West Midlands (B60)

Package
We are a progressive organisation who promote a friendly and supportive working environment, where you will be rewarded for your hard work and results.

As well as a competitive annual salary (up to £37,000 dependent on experience) plus a very generous car allowance (£4,800 per annum) and out of hours allowance (£1,200 per annum), we offer a comprehensive benefits package including 30 days Annual leave plus bank holidays, 35 hour week, up to 5% contributory pension, occupational sick pay, private health care, dental care, employee assistance programme, enhanced maternity pay, life assurance, long service awards, childcare vouchers and free office parking.

The Role
Permanent, full time. 35 hours per week (Monday – Thursday 9.00am – 5.00pm, Friday 9.00am – 4.30pm)

Our staff are an integral part of our success and we are seeking to recruit a Principal Social Worker to cover our West Midlands area.   

Based at our Midlands Office in Bromsgrove  you will recruit, assess and support our Foster Carers as well as make placements in response to referrals from Local Authorities. Our low caseload management system ensures that we achieve good outcomes for our children and maintain a high quality service. This role involves supporting the Registered Manager by supervising and supporting less experienced staff on professional matters and undertaking tasks  delegated by the Registered Manager. 

Please see the full job description listed below for further details.

Ideal candidates
This is an exciting opportunity for a HCPC registered Social Worker with at least 2 years’ experience in a social work environment that includes some fostering social work experience.  Someone who can work flexibly as part of a busy team and wants the opportunity to provide a quality service to our children, young people and Foster Carers.  Supervisory experience would be advantageous. 

The Children’s Family Trust is an equal opportunities employer and committed to promoting the welfare and safeguarding of children, ensuring that they are kept safe. As you will be in an environment which involves child protection and working with Looked After Children, you will need to be covered by DBS clearance, which the Trust will undertake. This position is also subject to receipt of satisfactory references.

How to apply
To apply please email your CV to jobs@thecft.org.uk. If selected for interview candidates will be required to complete an Application Form and Equality & Diversity Monitoring Form available from our website. We are a great company to work for and this is a rare opportunity to make a ‘real’ difference in children’s lives. To read more about our unique history, please click here.

Closing Date: 10th June 2019

Full details and application documents here

Sue Jennings joined our organisation on 3rd February 2014 as an Administrator for our West Midlands team. Initially joining us at our Droitwich office, Sue has been a part of our office move to Bromsgrove as well as the continued growth of staff, carers and children in our Midlands region.

On Sunday 3rd February 2019, Sue will be celebrating her 5 year CFT anniversary with us. As Sunday is a non-working day for Sue, we caught up with her in advance to find out how she is feeling reaching this incredible milestone!

How are you feeling having reached 5 years at CFT?

“I feel as though I have really accomplished something. It doesn’t feel like 5 years have passed since I joined The CFT, the years have really gone by very quickly. You know what they say… time really flies when you are having fun!”

What initially attracted you to the organisation?

“Before I joined the organisation I used to work as a School Secretary in a Primary School and so I was already passionate about working with children. I chose to apply for the position at The CFT as the charitable status really appealed to me and I didn’t want to work for a profit company. I knew that working for a fostering organisation meant that every day would be different and there would be a new challenge around every corner.”

When you joined The CFT, what did you hope you would achieve and do you feel you have done this during your time with us?

“I wanted to help the team make a difference in children’s lives and make their lives better. I feel like I have achieved that and I feel that as a team we have grown and do our very best to help the children in our care.”

Do you have any ‘stand out’ memories from your time with us?

“I don’t think I have one particular stand-out memory, the whole time has been interesting and different. I especially enjoy doing the family event and seeing the children growing. As an administrator for the organisation I don’t always get to see the families or children on a regular basis even though I hear lots about what is going on. When it comes to our regional parties that take place over the year, I’m always amazed to see how much the children have grown in not only age, but also in confidence and enjoy seeing them having fun.”

What will you be doing to celebrate your 5 year anniversary?

“I think I will celebrate with the team and reflect on my time with the organisation.”

How would you like to see the organisation progress in the next 5 years?

“I hope that The CFT will be able to carry on doing the work that we are doing and helping more children. I hope that we see more children placed within the right foster families and see more young people through to adulthood and independence and do well for themselves in their adult lives.”

Is there anything else you would like to add?

“My favourite part of working for the organisation is being part of a team who feel like family. I’d just like to thank my colleagues, the carers and The CFT for the support and kindness you have shown me over the years, it really means such a lot.”

We would like to thank Sue for all of her hard work and commitment to the organisation over the past 5 years. We would also like to thank her for her friendly and smiling face which is such a pleasure to have in our offices! Congratulations on this fantastic achievement Sue!

Source:
https://thecft.org.uk

​It had been three months since entering the care system and it’s nothing like I would have expected. The carers had asked what I would like for Christmas and this began the start of my yearly ritual of scouring the Argos catalogue looking for the items I would include on my Christmas list. I was ecstatic but, in the months prior we had gone ‘toys r us’, so my room was littered with all different gadgets and gizmos. What more could I possibly need? I felt very happy to be in this Foster placement and it had started to feel like it was my own room. It felt safe.

For someone who used to have nothing, I felt like I had everything. Although there was one gift I had longed for from since I can remember. I wanted a Nintendo DS all of my own. I can remember from years ago all the other kids at school brandishing their own DS’s and I own only owned the fictitious claim to one. It was horrible and I resented them for having stuff that I did not. It made me feel like a liar when I only wanted to save face for Christmas and birthdays, this was very wrong of me and I was taught better.

The week coming up to Christmas everyone at school had spoken about all the stuff they would get for their parent and I never had a second thought when saying I was buying made up gifts for my mom. Looking back, I realise now that I would have not wanted to buy her one. I had now seen what it really meant to be cared for and I didn’t want to be back in that environment ever again.

Christmas Eve could not have gone any slower. I don’t think I have ever wanted to miss out on a take away before but instead I opted to go to bed early and miss out on the Chinese. I would have never passed up the opportunity of take away with my mom because they were very rare, but the foster carers cooking was phenomenal, so takeaway wasn’t as exciting and it wasn’t as big of a treat.

Before I could race off to bed the foster carer handed me a large gift, but I had to open it in the living room with my other siblings. This made me very excited as I had never before had the opportunity to open a present on Christmas Eve and had always had to wait until December 25th. We all sat shoulder to shoulder on the big sofa and before our eyes this present laid before us. My older brother took charge and unboxed a metal tin which held some certificates. It was a star naming set and they purchased on our behalf of in memory of a close person in our lives who had passed away recently. I was brought to tears as even though we had known each other for a few months they really cared and considered us and our family as their own. I thanked them and gave them a hug and we all cried together. I loved them for this. I couldn’t have thought of anything I would have ever wanted more than this – it was the best present ever.

Exhausted, I finally made my way to my bed and for once in my life I was able to get to sleep quite quickly on Christmas Eve. This was my bed now and after all the stuff we had done during my short stay with the foster carers I had begun to realise they were great parents considering we were the first kids they had looked after. I nodded off excited for what tomorrow would bring… Christmas was so close!

Story by Iddi Cayman – CFT Apprentice and Care Leaver

Source: 
https://thecft.org.uk

Our South Central Office based in Waterlooville, Hampshire, is looking to recruit an exceptional person to support our Foster Carers and Children. The successful candidate will work closely with our social work and administration team.

Package
Competitive Salary up to £34,200 dependent on experience including a very generous car allowance and out of hours allowance, plus excellent benefits including 30 days Annual leave, 35 hour week , up to 5% contributory pension, private health care, life assurance, long service awards, childcare vouchers and free office parking.

The Role
Permanent, full time. 35 hours per week (Monday – Thursday 9.00am – 5.00pm, Friday 9.00am – 4.30pm)

Our staff are an integral part of our success and we are seeking to recruit a Supervising Social Worker to cover our  South Central area.     

Based at our South Central office in Waterlooville you will recruit, assess and support our Foster Carers as well as make placements in response to referrals from Local Authorities. Our low caseload management system ensures that we achieve good outcomes for our children and maintain a high quality service.

Please see the full job description for further details.

Ideal candidates
This is an exciting opportunity for a HCPC registered Social Worker with at least 12 months experience in a social work environment looking to move into the foster care sector.  Someone who can work flexibly as part of a busy team and wants the opportunity to provide a quality service to our children, young people and Foster Carers.  Working links to the Foster Care environment would be advantageous. 

How to apply
Please download and complete our Staff Application Form and Equality & Diversity Monitoring Form and email with your accompanying CV to jobs@thecft.org.uk. Applications will only be accepted from candidates completing the CFT Application Form in full. We are a great company to work for and this is a rare opportunity to make a ‘real’ difference in children’s lives. To read more about our unique history, please click here.

The Children’s Family Trust is an equal opportunities employer and all appointments are subject to a DBS check and receipt of satisfactory references.

Closing Date: 12th October 2018

Please note this job listing may close as soon as sufficient applications have been received.

Full details and application documents here.

We are currently looking to recruit a Trustee to support our ethos.  

Our Trustees offer strategic leadership to The CFT, achieved through meetings, offering their specialist skills, knowledge and experience, attending events, being advocates for the charity and supporting larger strategic areas of work, such as business planning.

Expectations of a Trustee
We are looking for someone that can share our values and will be able to commit the time required to attend regular meetings every two months (during the working day) at various venues within the UK.   Participate in training and attend an annual away day team building event.  Someone who will be actively involved in between Trustee meetings by reading and replying to emails and commit to at least two years of service.

What you get in return
The chance to put something into the community and have a direct impact on children’s and young people’s lives at a time when they need support.  The opportunity to contribute to the development of The CFT Family and develop skills in a range of areas including governance, employment, equal opportunities and fundraising. 

We are particularly looking for a Trustee with knowledge and experience in business management.  The position is unpaid, but reasonable travel expenses will be covered. 

How to apply
Please send your CV and covering letter to singleton.victoria@thecft.org.uk.  Alternatively, if you would like an informal discussion about the role of a Trustee please send an email to the same address and one of our Trustees will contact you.

We are a great company to be involved with and this is a rare opportunity to make a ‘real’ difference in children’s lives. To read more about our unique history, please click here.

The Children’s Family Trust is an equal opportunities employer and committed to promoting the welfare and safeguarding of children, ensuring that they are kept safe. As you will be in an environment which involves child protection and working with Looked After Children, you will need to be covered by DBS clearance and satisfactory references.     

Closing Date: 30th September 2018

More details here

Supervising Social Worker – North East
Our North East Offices based in Bishop Auckland, Co Durham, is looking to recruit an exceptional person to support our Foster Carers and Children. The successful candidate will work closely with our social work and administration team.

Location
Bishop Auckland, Co Durham (DL14)

Package
Competitive Salary up to £34,200 dependent on experience including a very generous car allowance and out of hours allowance, plus excellent benefits including 30 days Annual leave, 35 hour week (Monday – Friday 9.00am-5.00pm), up to 5% contributory pension, private health care, life assurance, long service awards, childcare vouchers and free office parking.

The Role
Permanent, full time. 35 hours per week (Monday – Thursday 9.00am – 5.00pm, Friday 9.00am – 4.30pm)

Our staff are an integral part of our success and we are seeking to recruit a Supervising Social Worker to cover our North East area.     

Based at our North East office in Bishop Auckland you will recruit, assess and support our Foster Carers as well as make placements in response to referrals from Local Authorities. Our low caseload management system ensures that we achieve good outcomes for our children and maintain a high quality service.

Ideal candidates
This is an exciting opportunity for a HCPC registered Social Worker with at least 12 months experience in a social work environment looking to move into the foster care sector.  Someone who can work flexibly as part of a busy team and wants the opportunity to provide a quality service to our children, young people and Foster Carers.  Working links to the Foster Care environment would be advantageous. 

How to apply
Please download and complete our Staff Application Form and Equality & Diversity Monitoring Form and email with your accompanying CV to jobs@thecft.org.uk. Applications will only be accepted from candidates completing the CFT Application Form in full. We are a great company to work for and this is a rare opportunity to make a ‘real’ difference in children’s lives. To read more about our unique history, please click here.

The Children’s Family Trust is an equal opportunities employer and all appointments are subject to a DBS check and receipt of satisfactory references.

Closing Date: 3rd September 2018

Please note this job listing may close as soon as sufficient applications have been received.

More information and application documents here

Supervising Social Worker – Midlands​
Location
Bromsgrove, Worcestershire (B60)
​

Package
Competitive Salary up to £34,200 dependent on experience including a very generous car allowance and out of hours allowance, plus excellent benefits including 30 days Annual leave, 35 hour week (Monday – Friday 9.00am-5.00pm), up to 5% contributory pension, private health care, life assurance, long service awards, childcare vouchers and free office parking.

The Role
Permanent, full time. 35 hours per week (Monday – Thursday 9.00am – 5.00pm, Friday 9.00am – 4.30pm)

Our staff are an integral part of our success and we are seeking to recruit a Supervising Social Worker to cover our Midlands area.     

Based at our Midlands office in Bromsgrove you will recruit, assess and support our Foster Carers as well as make placements in response to referrals from Local Authorities. Our low caseload management system ensures that we achieve good outcomes for our children and maintain a high quality service.

Ideal candidates
This is an exciting opportunity for a HCPC registered Social Worker with at least 12 months experience in a social work environment looking to move into the foster care sector.  Someone who can work flexibly as part of a busy team and wants the opportunity to provide a quality service to our children, young people and Foster Carers.  Working links to the Foster Care environment would be advantageous. 

How to apply
Please download and complete our Staff Application Form and Equality & Diversity Monitoring Form and email with your accompanying CV to jobs@thecft.org.uk. Applications will only be accepted from candidates completing the CFT Application Form in full. We are a great company to work for and this is a rare opportunity to make a ‘real’ difference in children’s lives. To read more about our unique history, please click here.

The Children’s Family Trust is an equal opportunities employer and all appointments are subject to a DBS check and receipt of satisfactory references.

Closing Date: 3rd September 2018

Please note this job listing may close as soon as sufficient applications have been received.
​
More information and application documents here

Fostering is a life changing decision for many people.. however it can be a truly rewarding experience. Our Foster Carers, Martin and Anne Wilkinson, tell us about why they took the leap into to fostering for us….

“For a long time we talked about Fostering. We have one son and each evening after his bed time story we would tuck a happy little boy up in bed, he knew he was loved, his tummy full and most of all he knew he was safe. We knew that life isn’t like that for many children and we would see the adverts on the TV depicting children with sad faces and squalid surroundings suffering at the hands of those who should have been giving the love and protection that all children deserve.

We knew that we could provide a safe and caring environment but felt that in order to do our best for the children entrusted to us, we would need the expertise of professionals who could help us to understand and deal with the complex needs of these children, and who would be there to offer training and support to us. We contacted an independent fostering agency “The Children’s Family Trust” (CFT) who visited us in our home and talked frankly about the reality of being foster carers. They explained the challenges and also the rewards of being a foster family.

We became foster carers five years ago, and the reality of everyday life for many of the children in our care shocked us. We soon realised the value of the training and support which enabled us to help and change the lives of the children in our care. While some carers take children for life we made the decision to become short term foster carers which means the children can be with us from a few weeks to 18 months. We have so far looked after over 20 children ranging from a young vulnerable mother and her new born baby to different sibling groups of all ages. The reasons for them being in care are varied as are their experiences and individual needs, but just imagine how it must feel to one day find yourself taken from everything familiar in your life and being placed in the care of strangers. The early days are very difficult for many children until they start to trust us and feel safe with us.  This is where the training and support from our agency becomes invaluable and understanding why a child may be presenting in a particular way is the key to giving the appropriate help, also knowing that if needed 24 hours a day we can speak to a member of our support team who will give support and advice and if we required would attend in person.

Being a foster carer is not always easy but the rewards are great as we see these children relax into a home life where they don’t have to worry anymore and can concentrate on being a child. They start to do better at school and learn that they are important and wanted.

Martin and Anne Wilkinson.
​
If you would like to know more about fostering for us, please contact us through our website or call 0300 111 1945.

Source:
https://thecft.org.uk

In late 2016, The Children’s Family Trust (CFT) applied for a sum of money from the National Lottery to fund a project titled ‘Ace in the Pack’. The hope for this project was to develop our current Children’s Guides for our Looked after Children, making the information that needs to be accessible to them more user-friendly and interactive. With the support of Paul and Max from ‘C&T’, we anxiously awaited the outcome of this application and began thinking about how this money could help us develop our current packs.

We are absolutely thrilled to announce that we were successful in our application and thanks to the National Lottery, we have been able to completely re-vamp our guides for looked after children and bring them into the 21st century!

Each playing card is representative of a different piece of information, message or topic. Given the generosity of the National Lottery, we wanted to make sure that our cards are looking progressively towards the future and therefore, in an age where technology is paramount, we decided to incorporate the use of QR codes to elaborate on the snippets of information displayed on each card. We understand that not everyone will have access or be able to use a smart phone or tablet to scan the QR codes, therefore they are just additional information for our children and young people, expanding on the information already provided on the playing cards.
​
The information detailed on our cards was created in consultation with a group of young people in our care, as well as a team of staff with differing experiences of fostering and skills. By combining these groups of people, we were able to ensure that our cards not only met the requirements of the children’s guide for our organization, but also took into consideration the kinds of information that our looked after young people felt would be beneficial to other children in our care. As children are at the heart of CFT, we wanted to involve them in this project and we were thrilled to have the participation of some of our children and young people who feature on the cards as they talk about their experiences and give advice from their time in care.  We would like to thank Callum (age 16) and Adam (age 15) for all their hard work and input on this project, they really demonstrated their creative ability and passion towards a project, especially when working with Paul and Max to be filmed and helping to edit some of the content!

Previously our children’s guides were issued dependent on a child’s age, however going forward, we wanted to recognize that there is no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to children and young people, and therefore wanted to equip the children in our care with additional information or ‘extras’ we feel would be useful for them, appropriate to their level of understanding.

In addition to our new interactive cards, each child or young person will now receive a non-branded welcome bag which containing a pack of the our playing cards, a wallet containing  information for important contacts, a notepad and a weekly planner with dry wipe pen. In addition to this, our children and young people will also be issued with leaflets appropriate for them. These additional extras, along with the ‘Ace in the Pack’ playing cards, will make up our brand new children’s guide which will be issued to all our children and young people in early 2018.

Once again we would really like to thank everyone involved in this project including Paul & Max at C&T, Callum and Adam and the staff closely involved in this project, Jayne Figgett, Shelley Candlin, Emma Higgs and Connie Ingles.

We hope you are all as excited about the new guides as we are and we hope that our children will enjoy using them as they play their way through important information!

 Source:
https://thecft.org.uk