The Fairer Fostering Partnership
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Introduction
    • How To Become A Member
    • Application Form
    • Our Terms of Reference
    • Our Constitution
    • Our Charter
  • Campaigns
    • #forchildrennotprofit
    • Fostering Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children
    • Changes to Fostering in Wales
    • Beyond Language that Cares
    • Vision for Children in Foster Care
  • Member Agencies
  • News & Jobs
  • Useful Links
  • Contact Us

FtSE Member News: PACT launches Dual Approval scheme to help find new homes for older children in care 

5/7/2012

 
PACT’s plan is to dual-approve carers to both foster and adopt and provide a home for older children who need extensive therapeutic support before they can be permanently adopted.

Satwinder Sandhu, PACT Director for Adoption and Fostering, unveiled the scheme today (5th July) at BAAF’s Conference on Concurrent Planning in London.

He explained that PACT’s dual approval scheme aims to help the older children in care, from around age six upwards, who are unlikely to be adopted and may need extensive therapeutic parenting before adoption can be considered.

PACT recruits people with the skills and experience to love and nurture children with complex needs who can, in time, become a permanent member of their family.

Satwinder said: “The dual approval scheme run by PACT can offer older children in care a successful route to a forever family, even when their age or needs deter prospective adopters.

“PACT’s extensive therapeutic services, FACTS (Fostering and Adoption Consultation and Therapeutic Support), have helped severely traumatised children to express their feelings, come to terms with their early life experiences and to ultimately form successful attachments with their new carers.

“When the bond is strong enough and the child is ready, PACT’s team guide the family through the steps to adoption.”

Luke & Giselle Taylor, who have been just been approved by PACT to long term foster as part of the dual approval scheme are ideal candidates for this new approach. Mr Taylor has been a step dad to the two older teenage children in the family, and the couple have a birth son age 12.

They are very nurturing people with excellent parenting skills. They also have lots of experience, through Mr Taylor’s work as a vicar, of supporting parents and children struggling with various emotional and practical issues.

Gisele said: “We are keen to use our skills and experience to help a child who isn’t able to be adopted at this time and needs specific support and care to bond and consider becoming part of a family in the long term.

“We have seen through our own eyes the effects of trauma on innocent children who haven’t been adequately cared for and the negative effects on their outlook on life.

“But I also know that the right support and intensive care can make a huge difference, and if Luke and I can help just one child, we’ve got to do it.”

She added: “It’s going to be a huge challenge to foster an older child but we are confident that being part of PACT’s team as foster carers, and with their access to expert therapy services, we will have the back up we need to cope.”

Other speakers at the conference were: Margaret Adcock, Social Work Consultant; Alexandra Conroy-Harris, Legal Consultant, BAAF; Elaine Dibben, Adoption Development Consultant, BAAF;  Karen Devine, Service Manager, Adoption & Permanence Service, Brighton & Hove City Council; Dr Carol Homden, Chief Executive, Coram;  Jeanne Kaniuk OBE, Head of Adoption & Permanent Families Service, Coram; Perspectives from Concurrent Adopters

PACT is a member of the CVAA, Consortium for Voluntary Adoption Agencies.

For more information about PACT’s fostering and adoption services, including Dual Approval, phone 0800 731 1845, visit the website www.pactcharity.org or come to a PACT Information Evening on Tuesday 17th July at St Saviours Church, Pimlico, London at 6.30pm, Wednesday 5thSeptember at RISC, Reading at 6.30pm, or Wednesday 26th September at The Brix, St Matthew’s Church, Brixton at 6.30pm.

Source:  www.pactcharity.org/news/105

Comments are closed.

    RSS Feed

    News & Jobs

    News stories and job vacancies from our member agencies, the fostering sector and the world of child protection and safeguarding as a whole.

    Browse Categories

    All
    Action For Children
    All4U Fostering
    Barnardo's
    Break
    Community Care
    Community Foster Care
    Fair Ways Fostering
    FFP News
    Fostering Families
    Fostering News
    FtSE Member News
    FtSE News
    Industry News
    Kasper Fostering
    Member Job Opportunity
    Member News
    New Routes Fostering
    Pact
    Safer Fostering
    St Christopher's
    Supported Fostering Services
    TACT
    Team Fostering
    The Caldecott Foundation
    The Children's Family Trust
    The Foster Care Charity
    Together Trust
    Young People At Heart

    Photo of small child looking at yellow flower - part of FtSE's branding
The Fairer Fostering Partnership
c/o TACT Fostering
Innovation House
PO Box 137
Blyth
NE24 9FJ
[email protected]
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Introduction
    • How To Become A Member
    • Application Form
    • Our Terms of Reference
    • Our Constitution
    • Our Charter
  • Campaigns
    • #forchildrennotprofit
    • Fostering Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children
    • Changes to Fostering in Wales
    • Beyond Language that Cares
    • Vision for Children in Foster Care
  • Member Agencies
  • News & Jobs
  • Useful Links
  • Contact Us