Foster Care Fortnight: Could you provide a home to children in need

Residents across East Sussex are being urged to consider becoming foster carers.
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In the county there are more than 70 children waiting for a family and East Sussex County Council used the national awareness campaign Foster Care Fortnight, which takes place from May 9 until 22, to encourage more people to consider joining the fostering community.

Foster carers can transform the lives of children and young people who are no longer able to live with their birth family.

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Many of the children have experienced abuse or neglect prior to going into care, and fostering is often their first positive experience of family life.

Catherine holding her foster child's handCatherine holding her foster child's hand
Catherine holding her foster child's hand

Primary school teacher Catherine decided to foster because she felt that some children were not having the best start in life and felt she could make a difference.

When Catherine’s own children left home she felt the time was right to look into becoming a foster carer herself.

She was aware of the impact being a carer could have as fostered children have been a part of her extended family for more than ten years.

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The fostering application is a two-stage process which can take four to six months.

Foster carer CatherineFoster carer Catherine
Foster carer Catherine

The assessment is thorough to make sure that the child will be safe in your care and that you’re confident in taking on the fostering role.

The process includes stage one – you make the enquiry, following by a screening call, initial visit and skills to foster training and completion checks, reference and reference interviews.

Stage two is your assessment and if your application is progressing the assessment can start and stages one and two can run at the same time.

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If your application is progressing, the assessment can start and stages one and two can run at the same time.

During the assessment, the social worker will visit you at home. They will meet with you and any other household members, both individually and as a group.

Your social worker will also visit some of your referees. They do this as they are trying to build a picture of you to report the Fostering Panel so they can make an informed decision on your suitability.

After completing the necessary training, Catherine was approved in March 2020 to begin fostering for respite care and emergency placements, which would fit around her full-time work commitments.

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Catherine’s first two respite care placements began in July 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic.

She was part of the children’s support bubbles, caring for a five-year-old boy for 24 hours once a fortnight and a 12-year-old girl one weekend a month.

Catherine said: “I loved it. We were busy from the moment they arrived whenever they stayed - parks, beach, train rides, watching films together.

“To foster just seems so natural and respite care allowed me to form relationships with different children so I was getting a lot out of it too.”

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In June 2021, Catherine began providing fortnightly weekend respite care for another five-year-old boy, and the placement was so successful that she was asked to consider caring for him on a full-time basis.

Catherine added: “I wasn’t sure if I could provide the care he needed and work full time, but the support I received from the council made me realise it would be possible.

“It just worked and has done since day one, so with a few alterations he came to us full time as part of our family.

“He’s been with me three months now. Small steps have rolled into this. It’s lovely, he’s lovely.”

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Cllr Bob Bowdler, the lead member for children and families, said: “Catherine began fostering during the pandemic, in what was an extremely challenging period for everyone.

"Despite this, our fostering team continued to find new carers and place children, working tirelessly to ensure children were safe and their carers were fully supported during those difficult times.”

Cllr Bowdler continued: “Some people may be discouraged from finding out more about foster care because they wrongly believe their circumstances rule them out.

“I hope Catherine’s story shows that fostering is possible for people from all walks of life who, with the right support, can provide a loving home environment where children can thrive.

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“I would encourage any resident who is interested in finding out more to contact our fostering team to discuss their individual circumstances.”

In Brighton and Hove there are more than 200 children living with around 150 foster families..

Brighton foster carer Aloyse Gascoigne has been fostering for just under five years.

Aloyse said: “We’ve been lucky enough to have a wide range of experiences from emergency one-night stays, to caring for siblings, from unaccompanied asylum-seeking children to respite care, then long term and now permanency.

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“There is a wide range of training and opportunities, both for the foster carers and for our young people.

“The children have been able to attend bushcraft days, painting pots, cinema trips, bowling and pizza trips too.

“The support, training and opportunities Brighton & Hove City Council offers enables us to be the very best foster carers we can be and in turn to best support the young people in our care.

“Watching the children grow in confidence, strength, ability and flourish is the best reward any of us could ask for.

“It really is the most rewarding adventure.”

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All sections of the county's diverse community can apply to become a foster carer, regardless of marital status (you can be married, single or cohabiting), race, disability, sexuality or gender.

Foster carers have to be over 21 years old, but there is no upper limit.

You will need to have a genuine interest in helping children through a difficult time in their lives, and have a spare bedroom so that the foster child has space to make their own.

Cllr Zoe John, chair of the council’s corporate parenting board, said: “We want to thank our foster carers for everything they do for our children in care.

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“By supporting each other and working together as a team, our fostering community makes sure our children can grow up locally and safe, in a nurturing and loving environment, to reach their full potential.

“But we need more people to come forward to foster if we want to make sure our children can stay local and be cared for in their community.

“If you have the space in your home and your heart, and the skills needed to help children thrive, please contact our fostering team.”

For further information about fostering for Brighton & Hove City Council, please:

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visit www.fosteringinbrightonandhove.org.uk phone 01273 295 444 for a friendly chat or email: [email protected]

All carers are fully supported by the Children’s Services team, with dedicated social workers, a 24-hour helpline, extensive local training, educational and therapeutic support for children and a network of support from experienced carers.

Anyone interested in finding out more about offering support to a child or young person by becoming a foster carer or caring for older teenagers as a supported lodgings provider visit www.eastsussex.gov.uk/childrenandfamilies or call 01323 464129.​​​​​​​