Fostering Moments celebrated during Foster Care Fortnight

East Riding foster carers, along with people who have been fostered, will be sharing their experiences to celebrate the fostering community and encourage people to consider fostering.

Foster Care Fortnight runs 13 to 26 May and this year celebrates Fostering Moments - the moments that define fostering journeys, big and small. Fostering moments that built confidence, made young people feel safe and created memories.  

In East Riding, more foster carers are needed to help care for children and young people. East Riding of Yorkshire Council is asking people to consider opening their door to fostering and is inviting people to come along to one of the drop-in events happening during the fortnight.

Roscoe, Lilian (pictured), and Paul talk about some of their Fostering Moments.

Roscoe, who is now in his thirties, has experience of being in care. He was fostered at age 14 and he said that meeting the right foster family was his Fostering Moment. He said that lots of factors are considered when children are matched with foster families, to ensure the most compatible match. Roscoe is still in touch with his foster parents twenty years on from them caring for him. 

Lilian has been a foster carer for over 30 years. Her background was business, and when her daughter had a friend at school that needed looking after Lilian took her in. She ended up staying with Lilian for three years and made Lilian and her husband realise what a difference fostering made, and that she really enjoyed it. Lilian changed careers, moving to do youth work at Barnardo’s and becoming a foster family. Her Fostering Moment happened earlier this year when she attended the wedding of the first boy she ever fostered. Lilian cared for him when, at age 14, he arrived in Goole fleeing the Kosovan War where his parents had died. He didn’t speak English, but with the care and guidance from Lilian and her husband he passed O and A levels, gained a first degree and a distinction master’s degree and he now works in marketing in London. Lilian looked after him for ten years before he moved to London, and said: “I’m incredibly proud of him, his work ethic to achieve what he has and the remarkable journey he’s been on. Fostering enables children to thrive and to flourish and makes such a real difference to lives.”

Paul has been a foster carer for East Riding Fostering for a year, after fostering previously in another area for many years. He runs his own business and is also studying for a degree in child psychology. Paul said that he began fostering as he knew there was a lack of foster carers generally, but that there is particularly a lack of male foster carers which some young people really benefit from. He said: “There are very few of us single, male foster carers out there! There is a stigma as to why we’d want to do it, but I really wish more people would consider it. There are young people who have female role models in their lives, but really benefit from care and guidance from a male foster carer. My fostering Moment has to be that I’m still in touch with the children I’ve fostered, and they have still got someone to go to. Two of the children I fostered now have their own children and I’ve benefitted from grandchildren.”

Councillor Victoria Aitken, cabinet member for children, families and education said: “Sometimes children are unable to live with their own family. This may be due to a crisis in the family, ill health, relationship difficulty, bereavement or because the child needs to be protected. This is where foster carers come in, providing a safe, secure, and loving home.

“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. We endeavour to make fostering the most fulfilling and rewarding experience.

“There is no 'ideal' type of foster carer, everyone is unique and brings their own individual experience and abilities. The most important attributes are having time, patience, a sense of humour and the ability to love. Foster families come in all shapes and sizes, and people can decide what type of foster caring arrangements would work for them, with different types of fostering to suit different homes, family dynamics and life commitments. I’d really encourage anyone to find out more and consider opening your door to fostering.”

Speak to the fostering team at one of the drop-in information events:

• Saturday 18 May at East Riding Leisure Beverley, 9.30am to 12noon
• Sunday 19 May at Bridlington Kite Festival, 10am to 5pm at the Fostering information stand, Sewerby cliff top
• Wednesday 22 May at East Riding Leisure Haltemprice, 4.30pm to 7pm

People who foster for East Riding Fostering receive comprehensive support including their own dedicated social worker to provide practical, emotional and theraputic support, training and regular social events. There are also local support groups available for foster carers to attend, and help for existing children in the family to adapt to fostering.

East Riding Fostering rates increased this year to recognise the valued role foster carers take and the financial offer for foster families is amongst the highest in the Yorkshire and Humber region.

In addition to financial allowances, families also receive contributions towards equipment, additional money on the child’s birthday and at Christmas. All members of the household also receive free membership to East Riding leisure centres.

Find out more about fostering, or if you’re an experienced carer wanting to transfer, get in touch with East Riding Fostering:

Telephone (01482) 394095

Email: fosteringrecruitment@eastriding.gov.uk

Search: eastriding.gov.uk/fostering   

Facebook: East Riding Fostering