This Foster Care Fortnight, could you help change a child's future in the Bailiwick of Guernsey?

Monday 13 May 2019

The Family Placement Service is calling for up to ten more foster families in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, as The Fostering Network's Foster Care Fortnight TM 2019 begins across the UK.

There is a particular need for people who might be able to care for school aged children, sibling groups and teenagers. There is also a need for short break carers who can give time to support children with disabilities who are living at home with their families.

Fostering offers children and young people a home when they are unable to live with their birth family. Sometimes children only stay with a foster family for a few days, while others will live with their foster family for their entire childhood and beyond. Foster carers make a significant difference in the lives of fostered children and young people, helping them to flourish and changing their future.

Specialist foster care has also been developed successfully on Guernsey and this has enabled the service to provide family based foster care for children with disabilities and complex additional needs locally. Fostering supports positive outcomes for children and young people in all areas of their lives.

Karen Reade from the Family Placement Service said:

'Our foster carers come from a variety of backgrounds and bring a wide range of life and work experiences with them. They offer children love, warmth and stability, working as part of a team of professionals. They receive excellent training and support from the Family Placement Service and the Reparative Care Team, a new service with a remit to provide additional support and training on therapeutic parenting to foster carers. Foster carers also receive an allowance to cover the cost of looking after the children in their care, as well as a weekly fee.'

'The Family Placement Team, together with some of our amazing foster carers will be out and about in the community during Foster Care Fortnight.'

'If you have a spare room and think you could offer the support, stability and care to help change a fostered child's future, please get in touch at change@guernseyfostercare.com or phone us on 713230. Our new website is currently being developed and this will be sited within the States of Guernsey website but in the meantime please visit guernseyfostercare.com.'

Kevin Williams, chief executive of The Fostering Network, said:

'The theme of this year's Foster Care Fortnight is #changeafuture, reflecting the vital role that fostering plays in our society and the fact that we know that good foster carer can transform lives and change futures.

'Foster carers are amazing people, but we really do need more of them. A wider pool of foster carers enables fostering services to be able to match the needs of each child more closely with the particular skills that each foster carer brings, and to find the right home for each child. That's why, as part of Foster Care Fortnight, we are urging people in Guernsey and Alderney to get in touch with their fostering service today.'

During Foster Care Fortnight, the Family Placement Service will be at the following locations:

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