Sponsored by
Foster caring: Some kids need a helping hand
Foster carers provide stability and family life to children who need it the most – and more are needed all the time.
Foster carers provide stability and family life to children who need it the most – and more are needed all the time.Hannah Gray finds out who can apply what kind of impact foster carers can have.
KATY Hawkins, from Peterborough City Council, is in no doubt that being foster carer is a rewarding and fulfilling role.
"Even if you only have a child for a short period of time and that child then goes home, your influence is still with them," she said. "There's not many careers that make that much of a difference to a child's life."
Katy is the service manager for children in care services at Peterborough City Council (PCC), and passionately believes that both the child and the adult benefit in a foster home.
"I think carers get an incredible sense of achievement," she said. "The ability to make a difference in a damaged child's life is just beyond any kind of payment or reward we could offer. Watching a child grow and develop that has had the sort of start in life we wouldn't want for our children is just phenomenal."
There are around 300 children in the care of PCC at the moment, and about three quarters of those are in foster homes.
The council is keen to recruit new carers all the time so that it has a pool of adults ready to be matched with children as they come into the system.
Fostering can sometimes suffer from a bit of an image problem, as it's easy to imagine it would involve a stream of troubled youngsters coming through your door for short periods of time.
But modern fostering is not necessarily like that. Although shorter placements can and do happen, foster carers can also be matched to a child who they then commit to care for until that child is 18.
The criteria to become a foster carer also tend to be misunderstood, and Katy warned Peterborough residents against assuming they can't apply.
"I think sometimes people rule themselves out for a whole host of reasons without checking it out first," she said.
After residents have applied, they undergo a number of checks, including with the police and the NSPCC, but initially the rules regarding what you need to have and be are very simple. You have to be at least 21 years old, and have some level of life experience, although there is no upper age limit.
You need to have space in your home (ie a bedroom for the child) and a secure tenancy, although you do not have to be a home owner.
The list of things you don't need to have is perhaps longer: You do not have to be in work or be part of a married, heterosexual couple - single people and gay people can become foster carers.
You also don't have to be an British citizen, as the children in care come from a diverse selection of backgrounds so to have foster carers who reflect this is an advantage.
What is most important to PCC is that carers are broadly the right sort of person.
Katy said: "It's about people's life experiences and their understanding of children, and what they can offer children who are sometimes in crisis but in need of security."
Foster parents also have to be aware that staying in a different home can be difficult for young people, and therefore need to be prepared to deal with that.
"What we look for in foster carers is someone with an understanding of that and who can help the children through that," she said.
Although the council is seeking applications from all across the community, one group they are particularly interested in is people whose own children are just growing up and leaving home.
"They're in a position of living through the experience of the teenage years," Katy said. "They make fantastic carers because they're very grounded, they've got that experience in life."
To help them look after their young charges, foster carers get an allowance to cover clothing, food, transport and other expenses. This starts at 121 a week and goes up to around 250, depending on the child and the carer.
The council provides all equipment that might be needed, for example cots, high chairs, push chairs and car seats, as well as support from social workers, who the parents will see on at least a six weekly basis.
Foster parents also have access to a 24-hour helpline and are given training.
Katy believes that living with good foster parents has a very positive effect on children.
"They get stability, they get a sense of family life," she said. "They get increased self esteem from somebody who's there to support them and there to help them develop.
"They get a better outcome in education because of the consistency in care and the support from fostering and all the support services around children in care."
If you think you can offer a home to a child in need, call the fostering line on 0800 0850 713, or email afuduty@peterborough.gov.uk. Alternatively, log on to www.familieswanted.co.uk.Children who need foster homes: (Names have been changed)
David
David is a bright and able eight year old. He is inquisitive and interested when meeting new people, however struggles to make and maintain friendships and relationships.
He is an academically bright child, but cannot remain on task to ensure progress is facilitated and has recently received a Statement of Educational Needs.
David has had a traumatic and unsettled start to his life, and can be an affectionate, endearing child, who enjoys cuddles and talking.
He enjoys one to one time with his carers and in particular enjoys reading comics and completing jigsaw puzzles, as well as his Nintendo DS and trampolining.
David enjoys taking part in outdoor activities and is a very energetic boy, who still requires a high level of supervision.
In order to best meet David's needs, he would be the only child in placement as he seems to engage more positively when one to one.
THREE SIBLINGS
Sarah, born 2000
Sarah is a bright and bubbly girl. She is an affectionate child and loves to give and receive cuddles.
A confident and sociable child, Sarah had previously felt responsible for the care of her sisters but is now able to stand back and enjoy being with friends.
If Sarah feels that she is being treated unfairly or that her sisters are getting more than she is she can be unkind to them and display some jealous behaviour. She does however engage well with children and adults and will often choose to spend time in adult company rather than with her peers.
Sarah likes to perform for an audience and enjoys playing her recorder, singing and dancing, and she is a popular member of her class in school. Academically she is reaching all her milestones and is particularly excelling in maths.
Claire, born 2002
Claire is a warm and affectionate child who has made considerable progress in her current placement. With new people Claire is very shy and withdrawn and can become clingy towards people she feels safe with.
Claire is developing her communication skills and has a limited vocabulary but this is improving with support and encouragement of her school and her carers.
She loves to play with her dolls, dressing up and is particularly fond of Peppa Pig.
She loves to be outside and play on the trampoline and go out and about with her carers. Academically Claire is not currently meeting her milestones and is undergoing assessments to ascertain the level of her learning difficulty.
Rachel, born 2004
Rachel is a sociable little girl who, like her sisters, enjoys physical affection and attention. Rachel likes to play with her toys, especially Dora the Explorer, and dressing up and imaginary play with Claire.
If Rachel feels that she is not getting the attention she desires she can sulk and become very stubborn and display behaviours more readily seen in toddlers.
Rachel has made peer group friendships since starting school but again will display some difficult behaviours when she does not get her own way or the teacher's complete attention.
LEE
Lee (11) is very petite for his age but has a lovely smile and is always on the go.
He can be very caring and affectionate towards people he cares about.
Lee does struggle educationally and has an education statement. When he puts his mind to it he can do very well in school and has received lots of certificates for merits.
He likes to play football and previously attended a football group, and also likes to play on computer games, listen to music and ride his bike.
Family life is very important to Lee and sadly this is something he has missed out on for a number of years. He communicates well with adults and thrives on being the centre of attention, however he does take time to trust adults and requires patience and consistency.
He would be best suited to a two-parent family, preferably with no children or only one other child in placement. Lee can be very demanding of adults' attention but is equally rewarding when he is engaged by adults.CASE STUDIES
Iain Cheeseman (25)
Iain spent a few months in foster care when he was 15. Although his experience was relatively short, it has had a long-term, positive impact on him.
"I enjoyed it there," he said. "I had some good foster brothers there."
Paul lived with three foster brothers at the time and is still in close touch with some of them.
Today he is using his experiences in his job as a youth worker and he also sits on the council's fostering panel, helping to decide who would make good foster carers.
He said: "Good foster carers need to be able to listen and be available to do things like school runs and taking children to clubs and things like that. You need to have good communication with social services and other organisations."
Leroy Ochieng (18)
Leroy Ochieng (18) who has been in foster care for six years, is in no doubt that it has changed his life for the better.
"I've settled down a bit more and got all my college work and stopped getting in trouble," he said.
Leory, who has lived with the same foster family for the last four years, has just finished a construction course and is about to start another and hopes to get an apprenticeship.
He will continue to stay with his foster family while he is doing his course.
Leory said: "My foster family have helped me get on college courses, fill in application forms and look for jobs."
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Peterborough
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 12 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
Wind direction: East
Your view
Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.