The Isle of Wight Council has joined other local authorities across the South East to create the country’s largest local authority fostering partnership, in a bid to increase the number of foster carers across the region. With more than 11,000 children in care across the South East, and fewer than 3,000 local authority-approved foster carers, there is an urgent need to recruit more people to provide safe, loving, and local homes for vulnerable children. Local Authority Fostering South East is a new virtual fostering hub bringing together the expertise of 20 councils from across the region, including the Isle of Wight. The new hub will ensure prospective foster carers have access to a centralised platform for their initial enquiries about fostering and will see local authorities work collaboratively to provide the best support, right from the start of a carer’s fostering journey. The new regional hub will be running marketing campaigns to raise awareness of this unique role and encourage more people to take the next step and become a foster carer with their local council. In doing so they will benefit from comprehensive local training, generous financial assistance, and ongoing support from a non-profit organisation. The hub will not replace the Island’s fostering service which will continue to function as normal, but work alongside it to complement activity. Natasha Sampson, South East regional strategic lead, said:
“This is a really exciting time for fostering. For the first time in the South East, we are leveraging the collective skills, knowledge, resources and support of 20 local authorities to ensure children and young people have a stable home, in a loving family, which they all deserve. “The new hub will make this possible by increasing the number of local foster carers and making sure they are well supported through their recruitment journey and beyond. “I would urge anyone interested in fostering to get in touch with us to find out more about becoming a foster carer with your local authority.”
The Isle of Wight Council is a proud partner of this national Department for Education (DfE) funded project, with Local Authority Fostering South East being the largest of 9 regions taking part in this pilot programme. Prospective foster carers will also benefit from a new fostering ambassador scheme, enabling them to speak to an existing carer to find out what this life-changing role is really like. More information on becoming a foster carer can be found on the new regional website at http://www.lafosteringse.org.uk/. Those interested in fostering can also contact the regional hub directly to speak to a member of the recruitment team by calling 0300 131 2797.
more people would be foster carers, if they weren’t subjected to woke pandering by social workers and expected to conform to an ideology that they may not agree with.
humans have the right to raise a child in the way they see fit and not to the script of an ideology or government.
give foster carers free reign, within the bounds of common sense and deceny, to raise the kids how they see fit an more volunteers will come forward.
continue with the endless form filling, woke ideology, oversight and intrusion, as well as dictating what you should bellieve in before being accepted as a foster carer, then expect less interest in the role.
Also more and more of these foster children are not in homes because their parents have, as in the past , been tragically killed.
Many now are from se x trade workers, ethnic one night stand or rape results , drug takers unwanted children and due to ‘care in the community’ many from mentally disturbed adults.
So only the very brave would risk taking on others flawed dna , as with young children very hard to predict if nurture will be effective enough to combat nature.
You live in a total dreamworld with a tin foil hat for everyone
Just because what you read makes discomforting reading, does not mean that it isn’t factual Mike.
Cruso has made very valid points, since both masse migration and many mentally sick people no longer incarcerated, Foster homes are almost begging people to take the resulting number of unwanted children, many in fifty shades, so why do you think there is such a huge amount of unwanted children now?
And please, don’t say the cost of living, as we all see, parents have never had so much money giving to them in child allowance, tax credtis / universal credit, free rent and c.tax, extra if having a mentally or physically damaged child. Free dental care, free prescriptions, extra thousand for heating and food, free gym membership,
Mike hardly a dream-world, have you seen inside a Foster home recently? And do you think that hardened drug addicts use contraception, or that migrant sex workers never fall pregnant, or some mentally messed up person will be celibate?
I imagine you listen to smooth radio and tune out of real life problems.
Messed up parents can pass messed up traits to their offspring, and few people are prepared to have their entire lives risked being messed up, as that cute cheeky child will oft morph into a surely, messed up violent teen within a few short years.
Best let the authorities deal with the ruined society and culture that they created imo.
Why would he have seen inside a foster home?
Wait.
You have, literally, no idea what a foster home is do you?
Some of these comments about genetics are, aside from being utter garbage, borderline 3rd Reich.
Absolutely that IE lets people post this utter filth
Me husband worked on the mainland in a home, said it was like being in the united nations creche. Alarming how so many non brits treat children as they do animals, and dump them. But i too would be wary of having them non europe ones. Friend of ares in ryde had a couple to foster, and they attacked his wife, mind they was older kids. beware what you pick, all right for them film stars and pop stars to pick one, as they got others to see to them, and dont ruin there lives to have one for a fashon statement, but mark my words, and pick one like yourself
I understand that English isn’t your first language, but at least try to make an effort to learn it before posting.
Sounds like you should be on a racist feed on Twitter mate instead of participating in an adult conversation on Foster Care? English may well be your first language, but decency and intelligence have taken a hit
It would be a good idea if IW Council joined forces with
Island Roads to make our roads a safe place for everyone.
Put in measures to stop speeding, speeding is horrendous
on the island.
Even in poor weather conditions like today, Numpty Motorists
are still driving like maniacs.
Let’s hope the new MPs employ more traffic police with
Radar guns etc to catch the offenders.
Revenue could be raised from heavy fines for parking on
Pavements and Double Yellow Lines.
Oh please shut up you utter melt! If you don’t feel confident to drive to the speed limits then mayby you should catch a bus and let us that can drive, drive up to the speed limit and not poodle behind you at 20mph
You must be one of the speeding Numpty’s who
are causing havoc on our roads.
20mph is plenty, it’s coming
Labour will enforce these rules on the island like they
have in London and Wales.
Nice to see you read the article and then posted an appropriately related comment.
Like to get my point out there for people to see.
Your comment has nothing to do with fostering children, so a bit inappropriate here. Why not save it for a motoring article?
The risks are high, becoming a foster carer risks your own child to abuse, foster kids make allegations to get own way or allegations are made by parent’s, you risk loosing you’re birth children and not to be around grandchildren etc. Do it maybe if single,but don’t put family at risk. Remember some of these kids are thieves, drug takers and not in school,many with mental health issues etc. Not for me …
We have been fostering, mostly teenagers, for ten years now. It has been challenging but we wouldn’t change a thing. When you get some angry little (or big) person turn up with a couple of bags and a stinking attitude, thinking that they are rubbish and totally unwanted, it’s a whole different ball game. Your heart goes out to them because they are scared and totally dependent on you, and they hate being dumped on a stranger who is paid to care. But, I can’t describe how it feels when they eventually smile at you, accept a hug, learn to trust, make you a cuppa or want a chat. It’s a bumpy ride, but it’s been a huge adventure. We have grown up kids phoning us almost every day now because we are the closest thing they have to real parents.
If only I could believe in fantasy….
So I’ve been living in a fantasy for the last ten years have I? Good to know! You go ahead and glibly trash our efforts for wanting to make a difference. It’s an uphill struggle and badly paid, but there are rewards. I guess you wouldn’t understand!