FtSE Member News: Foster Care Fortnight - Free PACT Guide to looking after children - for day, a weekend or longer

ADOPTION and fostering charity Parents And Children Together (PACT) has produced a free Guide to share some wisdom around looking after children for a short time, and to mark Foster Care Fortnight (14 – 27 May).

PACT staff have collected some tips on how to care for children who aren’t with their birth parents. The Guide is for any one in loco parentis, including grandparents, aunts, uncles, step parents or family friends.

Top tips include:

• Catching children being good – and encouraging good behaviour  
• Children and snacking – how to balance treats
• Handling temper tantrums

Plus lots of ‘fun on a shoe string’ ideas to entertain children.

To see PACT’s daily tips – follow PACT on Twitter and Facebook, or download the PACT Guide to looking after children for a day, a weekend or longer at www.pactcharity.org/info.

Over 8,000* new foster carers will be needed over coming months to support and love the children who sadly can’t live with their birth families. When children are away from their birth families they need careful parenting and nurturing to help their self-esteem to develop despite the disruption in their home lives.  (*Fostering Network)

To help meet the national demand for foster carers, PACT is expanding its fostering service to include short term and respite, as well as long term fostering.  PACT’s Assistant Director for Fostering, Jean Smith, appealed for more people to come forward to consider supporting a child through fostering. 

She said: “If you have a spare room, love being with children and could dedicate the energy and commitment needed to care for a child for a short while, get in touch.”