Rise in foster carer enquiries - but there is still a need for more to sign up

Blue Sky Fostering(blueskyfostering.com) has seen an increase in queries into becoming a foster carer.

The local fostering agency, who supports Foster Carers across East Sussex & West Sussex have offices in Portslade and Eastbourne.

Sarah Rockett, recruitment director at Blue Sky Fostering, said: “The impact of lockdown on vulnerable young people has been and will continue to be significant and far reaching.

“We have seen an increase already in the numbers of people making an online enquiry but always need more.

“People often think they are not able to foster due to living in rented accommodation or being single or having a large dog.

“We here at Blue Sky fostering need people from all walks of lives and backgrounds to come forward and make an enquiry.”

Emily became a foster carer with East Sussex County Council during the Covid-19 pandemic.

She said: “Becoming foster carers during Covid-19 was definitely an interesting process. We had a lot of meetings using different ways of communicating, but we were supported throughout the process. We were very fortunate to have been assigned a social worker who was compassionate, caring and respectful during our application.

“Ben and I are currently respite carers, so we have foster children on weekends and during the holidays. We both decided that this would be our gateway into fostering, as we both work full time. Ben and I have met some incredible social workers, foster carers and foster children. We have had so much fun doing a whole host of different activities, such as theme park trips, visiting zoos and going to activity centres; I sometimes wonder who is having the most fun."

A spokesperson for the East Sussex County Council’s foster care team said: “We are extremely lucky in East Sussex to have amazing foster carers and supported lodgings providers who are helping to transform the lives of young people across the county who have not had the most positive start in life. We always need more and with more carers, we can help even more local children.

“Deciding to becoming a foster carer is a big decision and anyone considering making a difference to a young person’s life can find out about the experiences of existing foster carers and their children, as well as information about the support and training available and how to apply, by visiting www.eastsussex.gov.uk/fostering”

Scott Anderson and Mark Popkiewicz live in West Sussex and foster sibling boys aged six and eight.

Their first placement came about a month after the first lockdown.

Both were furloughed shortly after lockdown which they felt worked in their favour as it meant both of them were around to look after any child that came into their care and they would have their undivided attention.

Mark said: “We went on the Skills to Foster Course last November, so pre-pandemic. There is a lot to go through but we had a lot of help, advice and support from the social worker who was assigned to us. Literally we went to panel days before lockdown came into effect.”

Although there has been a rise in queries there has also been a big rise in the number of children coming into care, so the need for people to foster has never been higher.

The Fostering Network is the UK’s leading fostering charity.

David Eggboro, communications manager at the Fostering Network, said: “While the total number of children looked after is higher than around the same time in 2018, referrals have dropped during the pandemic.

“However, with schools having been reopened and lockdown measures easing, the number of children coming into care is expected to rise. The full scope of the pandemic is not yet clear.

“This year has been challenging for everyone, not least the fostering community. However, foster carers have continued to achieve incredible things throughout this difficult time, despite being faced with new practical (e.g., regarding contact with birth families and social worker visits) and emotional challenges.

“To make sure that the needs of the looked after children population are matched, more people need to come forward to foster. This ensures that every child in care is placed with the right foster carer for them without having to move away from loved ones, friends and their wider support network.

“Besides recruiting more foster carers it is also crucial that current foster carers are better supported, recognised and valued for them to keep fostering.”

Orange Grove Fostercare (orangegrovefostercare.co.uk), has seen a significant rise in the number of young people enquiring, with a 38 per cent increase in 25-34-year olds.

However, the agency saw the biggest rise in interest from those aged between 35-44, receiving 31 per cent more interest than in the previous period.

Orange Grove Fostercare’s Southern Counties supports foster carers and children across West Sussex, East Sussex, Brighton and Hove.

As many individuals face uncertainty around job security, some are looking to embark on a new career path leaving fostering open for consideration. Fostering is a lengthy process but requires no prior experience, allowing individuals to upskill and retrain in a new area that will be hugely beneficial to young people’s lives.

Choosing fostering as a potential career path can allow individuals to work in a field where they can help make life-changing impact on young people’s futures daily. With the need of fostering families increasing every year, those equipped with the right values are being asked to consider fostering.

James McGarriagle, registered manager at Orange Grove Fostercare, said: “With the recent figures from Ofsted revealing that, as of March 2019, there were 56,160 children in care and just 44,450 foster parents available, we’re thrilled to see a rise in the number of people applying.

“We know a lot of people are seeing financial difficulties as a result of the pandemic, especially with the increase of redundancies across the UK, so we’d like to remind people that fostering is a fully paid, professional role, and could be an ideal route for many to explore.”

For anyone thinking of fostering Emily said: “To anyone who is thinking of becoming a foster carer, DO IT! It is such a rewarding job; you’ll forget that you are ‘working’. Something as little as being there to listen, could change the life of a foster child.”

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