COUNTY COUNCIL PUTS OUT THE CALL ON EVE OF FOSTER CARE FORTNIGHT
Recent local campaigns to find people willing to foster have been hugely successful - but we still need more people.
That's the message from Cumbria County Council's Fostering Service on the eve of a national push to find more carers.
Foster Care Fortnight, which begins next Monday (14 May), is an annual campaign that also aims to raise awareness of fostering. In Cumbria, it follows on from two very successful local campaigns - one to find foster carers in Barrow and the surrounding area and one to find 'shared carers' across the county.
Shared carers are families who provide short breaks for disabled children; as a result of the campaign in March this year, 10 families have been invited to an information session in Carlisle to find out more about the Shared Care scheme and to meet current shared carers.
In Barrow, the campaign in February generated a lot of interest, helped by local supermarkets who put up displays in their stores. After the launch of the campaign, over 20 people came along to a follow-up information meeting and nine families have now completed their preparation training. This is the first part of the process of becoming a foster carer.
Despite this success, more foster carers are still needed because the aim of Cumbria Fostering Service is to be able to have foster carers located in as many communities as possible across the county.
This would mean that, when a child needs a foster home, one can be found for them which enables them to stay near their friends and school, and remain in a familiar location.
Foster carers are especially needed for teenagers and family groups.
Becca Reynolds and her sister spent time with foster carers in the county and is now at Lancaster University, studying for a Social Work qualification. She said:
"Through her help and support my foster carer certainly managed to make my life more rewarding, but I know that she got a lot out of it, too.
"I had a really hard time at school and she was often tearing her hair out about me, but now I've got into university she's chuffed to bits!
"Being able to stay in your local area can be really life changing for a young person, and knowing that you have been part of making that happen as a foster carer must be a really special feeling."
Janet Hambley is the fostering service manager at Cumbria County Council. She said:
"A shortage of foster carers in parts of the county means that we sometimes have to place children and young people miles away from their local communities, which can be unsettling at what is already likely to be an unsettling time for them.
"Foster carers come from a whole range of backgrounds, but all of them have one thing in common - they have taken up the challenge of helping us look after vulnerable children and young people to help improve their life chances."
County Councillor Philip Chappelhow is Cabinet member for Children's Services. He said;
"Foster carers have a vital role to play in giving young people in care the best possible start in life.
"The work they take on is invaluable. It is challenging but also very rewarding - not just for the carers but for the young people they so generously give their help and support to."
Cumbria County Council's Children's Services ensures that foster carers receive the help, support and training they need.
There is a drop in information afternoon at Cumbria County Council's offices at The Courts in Carlisle on 21 May, between 2pm and 4pm.
If you would like an informal chat or an information pack to find out more about being a foster carer you can contact your local office:
Carlisle and Penrith on (01228) 607078
Workington and Whithehaven on (01900) 325326 Kendal on (01539) 773312 Barrow on (01229) 894862
You can also email fp.recruitment@cumbria.gov.uk or visit the council's website at www.cumbria.gov.uk
For more information about the national Foster Care Fortnight campaign, go to www.fostercarefortnight.co.uk
ENDS
Further information from Alison Lister, Media Officer on (01228) 606335
Notes
At the beginning of March 2007, 309 children and young people were in foster care placements provided by the county council's Fostering Service and 33 young people were in foster placements purchased from independent fostering agencies
Cumbria Fostering had 235 'in house' foster carers - 195 mainstream foster carers, 23 shared carers, and 17 'specialist' foster carers who provide placements specifically for young people who may have had some difficulties
A two week campaign to find foster carers in Barrow was launched on Monday 5 February 2007; local supermarkets Booths, Morrisons and Tesco supported the campaign with displays in their stores
This year's countywide 'Shared Care Campaign' ran for two weeks from Monday 19 March 2007