Call for businesses to become fostering friendly

East Riding of Yorkshire Council is calling for businesses to become fostering friendly businesses, to help more people become foster carers.

There is currently a national shortage of foster carers and a need for more people to come forward in the East Riding.

Foster carers provide care for someone else’s child in their own home when the child cannot live with their birth family. This may be due to a crisis in the family, ill health, relationship difficulty, bereavement or because the child needs to be protected. Foster carers provide a safe, secure, and loving home and make a positive and lasting differences to the lives and futures of children. The length of time children spend with foster carers can vary, from respite or short-break care – day care or overnight stays, to regular weekend or holiday stays - through to weeks, months or years.

A fostering friendly workplace recognises and supports the unique needs of employees who are foster carers. This commitment may include flexible working hours and paid time off for training and support when a new child is placed in their care. 

By becoming fostering friendly, businesses not only help their employees balance work and fostering responsibilities, but also contribute to the wellbeing of foster children who need stable, loving homes. This helps promote a culture of care and social responsibility within the organisation, enhancing employee morale and loyalty, and appeals to customers who value corporate social responsibility. 

Councillor Victoria Aitken, cabinet member for children, young people and families said: "We have over 100 amazing foster carer families in the East Riding, who enable children and young people to thrive. We want to create the very best experiences, support and training so foster carers can, in turn, provide the most loving, stable and supportive homes for our children.

“Employers can make a real difference in supporting their employees in their foster care journey, and I’d encourage businesses to look at becoming fostering friendly.”

Businesses can also support fostering by sharing information on their premises, such as posters and leaflets, through sharing information in internal newsletters, or through hosting a fostering information stand in the workplace. 

For more information on how you could support fostering or become a fostering friendly business, get in touch with East Riding Fostering:

Telephone (01482) 394095

Email: fosteringrecruitment@eastriding.gov.uk

Search: https://eastriding.gov.uk/fostering   

Facebook: East Riding Fostering

The Fostering Network website: www.thefosteringnetwork.org.uk