Last month I talked about the importance of our partnerships with voluntary community groups to help us all achieve the best results for the borough.
This month, I want to focus on the wonderful group of residents doing amazing work for our most vulnerable children — our foster carers.
Foster carers provide a safe, loving environment for our most vulnerable children giving them the support, confidence and a positive family life to thrive and exceed.
This is even more crucial now in these uncertain times as foster carers are needed more than ever.
We currently have 74 foster families across the borough, and 63 children and young people in foster care.
The number of children needing us can change instantly, especially in an emergency, which is why we always need foster families available and ready to jump in.
Foster carers care for children and young people of every age – from babies, only weeks old, up to the age of 18.
We also have 17 young adults still with their foster carers after 18.
This lets them maintain relationships, receive support, prepare for adult life and continue their education and training during this pivotal period in their young lives.
Foster carers can look after up to three children, or more if siblings are involved. But most foster carers care for one or two children.
We also have a scheme called Short Breaks offering family-based respite for children with disabilities.
I have been reading a letter from one of our foster carers who said they knew there would be some ups and downs, and, “they’ve had a few.”
But then they said, “We never could have dreamt we would have the privilege of being able to support a child through to their adolescence and on to university.”
These foster carers also supported contact with that young person’s birth family throughout. This is an incredible illustration of the impact foster carers have on young lives.
Important
October is Sons & Daughters Month when we celebrate, recognise and thank the foster carers’ own children for the important role they play supporting their parents in fostering and for sharing their family life with foster brothers and sisters.
They too make a valuable contribution enriching these young people’s lives.
Like many, I’m a big fan of Strictly Come Dancing so it was great last week to see dancer Ian Waite supporting our campagn to attract new foster carers and meet one of our amazing carers.
Ian, who lives locally, talked of his delight in helping us. It is fantastic to have such great advocates in our borough – a real coup.
I was lucky enough before lockdown to attend a borough foster carer celebration, alongside our executive member for children’s services, where I heard wonderful and moving stories.
I have the deepest respect for foster carers and see their overwhelming love and commitment.
Our staff work hard behind the scenes to recruit, train and ensure the right placements. It is a vocation. So thank you to our staff and the amazing carers. You continue to change lives.
Many types of people can foster. All you need is some life experience, a spare room and the time and energy to look after a child.
You can find out more at our next online fostering information event on Wednesday, November 18, from 6pm to 7.30pm.
Either email: fostering@wokingham.gov.uk or visit fostering.wokingham.gov.uk
There’s a child or young person out there that needs you…
Susan Parsonage is the chief executive of Wokingham Borough Council
