- Recipe:
How to make a successful, confident, happy adult
- Ingredients:
1 undervalued, troubled teenager
1 caring, patient adult with a sense of humour (all kinds of adults can be used for this recipe - man/woman, single/couples, young/old, employed/unemployed, able-bodied/disabled, any race/religion/sexuality.
- Method:
Take the undervalued troubled teenager and place in the home of the caring, patient adult (who we will now call the 'foster carer'). The foster carer should add plenty of fun, activities, patience and hard work. One point to note - the teenager may boil over occasionally; the foster carer will need to put back to 'simmer' before cooling. This is perfectly normal, just don't stir too often.
- Result:
After a while, the foster carer will see the teenager turn. Unlike milk, turning is a good thing in teenagers. The foster carer will then be able to savour the result, which will cause a warm feeling. A lot of foster carers then have the urge to start cooking again at this point, so its back to step 1 with fresh ingredients.
This is the theme of Cumbria County Council's latest push to recruit more foster carers for teenagers in Cumbria, being launched next Monday (17 September).
Many of the teenagers will have had disappointments in their lives, and been let down by adults in the past. Some will have been abused - physically, sexually, or emotionally. Others will have been in trouble with the police and the courts.
With this in mind the Council is asking 'How do you make a successful, confident, happy adult, from an undervalued, troubled teenager?'
Recent local campaigns to find people willing to foster have been hugely successful - but more people are still needed. This is because the aim of Cumbria's Fostering Service is to have foster carers located in as many communities as possible across the county.
This would mean that, when children need foster homes, one can be found for them that enables them to stay near their friends and school, and remain in a familiar location.
Foster carers are needed throughout the county - for teenagers, and also for family groups.
Janet Hambly is Cumbria County Council's Fostering Service Manager. She said:
"The local authority has a well motivated and positive group of foster carers across the county. However we are always looking to increase the number of carers, especially for teenagers and sibling groups, in order for us to best match young people with the most suitable carers.
"We welcome interest from any member of the community who feels they can offer an opportunity to young people to achieve some stability and reach their potential."
Barbara is a foster carer in the east of the county. She said:
"Fostering teenagers can be challenging and rewarding.
"With patience and understanding and clear boundaries the young people start to feel secure and gain confidence. Then they begin achieving in many areas like school and socially, and their behaviour improves.
"It's really gratifying to see positive changes and to know that you have played a role in this as a foster carer. I get such pleasure when I hear them laughing heartily and singing around the house."
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 Whitehaven on (01900) 325356 Kendal on (01539) 773312 Barrow on (01229) 894862
You can also email fp.recruit@cumbriacc.gov.uk or visit the council's website at www.cumbria.gov.uk
For more information about national Foster Care Fortnight campaigns follow the link at the bottom of the page.
End
For further information or to arrange an interview with a foster carer and/or a young person who has been fostered in the county: 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 the council buys in 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 the most troubled and challenging young people.
A two-week campaign to find foster carers in Barrow ran in February 2007 and created a lot of interest; a countywide 'Shared Care' campaign which ran for two weeks in March and Foster Care Fortnight in May also met with a lot of interest.