Latest news with #FosterCareFortnight
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
City of York Council announces extra £60 per week for foster carers
A new financial package will see new foster carers who join City of York Council benefit from an extra £60 per week. City of York Council announced the increase during Foster Care Fortnight, whose theme this year is 'The Power of Relationships.' York foster carers will now receive a fee of between £125 and £500 per week, depending on their skill level, plus a weekly allowance for each child in their care. Foster carers will also be able to access a new training and support offer, which includes access to a specialist clinical psychologist. A local foster carer said: "The increase in the fostering fee has provided me with greater security. "It has enabled me to spend more time with my child, supporting her with her drama lessons, and I am now going to see her perform on the West End stage." More information about fostering is available at
Sunday Post
25-05-2025
- General
- Sunday Post
Scotland is short of 400 foster carers… do you have what it takes?
Get a weekly round-up of stories from The Sunday Post: Thank you for signing up to our Sunday Post newsletter. Something went wrong - please try again later. Sign Up There has never been a more urgent need for foster homes in Scotland than there is right now. So says Anne Currie, assistant director for Scotland at The Fostering Network. 'As over 350 foster carers leave each year, it's critical that we take action now,' she said, adding that Scotland needs at least 400 more to meet demand. As Foster Care Fortnight comes to a close today, with people across the country being encouraged to consider if they could provide a safe, supportive foster home for a child or young person, we meet six Scots carers to hear more about their journeys. Two of the girls call me Auntie now, that's how they see me © Steve MacDougall / DC Thomson & Kirstin Hardie, from Perth, has been a foster carer for three years. The 32-year-old, who is single and works part-time as a teacher, has two sets of sisters who come monthly. She's also been approved for interim foster care and now has seven-year-old twins living with her full-time. 'It was something I'd thought about for a long time,' she said. 'It fit with my lifestyle and my house was empty – why not fill some of these bedrooms? 'At the beginning, everybody was quite nervous about me doing it, because I'm on my own and was only 28 when I started. 'Now, having seen what it's like, my parents are also really involved. They buy Christmas presents for the kids and that kind of thing. 'The biggest joy is going around looking like Santa! It's not about the material gifts but knowing that these kids see people are thinking of them and want to be with them. Some of them haven't had that before.' Vital to becoming a foster carer is the support network of the various organisations involved, as well as fellow carers and family. 'It is harder as a single carer, but having that support is brilliant,' Kirstin said. She added: 'Two of the girls call me Auntie and that's how they see me. Coming to me is a bit cooler than going to an older foster. 'I think for them it takes away the stigma that there still is of being in foster care. They don't really tell people that's what they're coming to me for – they just say they're with their auntie.' As a single gay man, I might not fit stereotypical view of a carer © Steve MacDougall / DC Thomson & It was working alongside Kirstin Hardie that led fellow teacher James Snowden to apply for fostering, being approved as a short break carer in summer 2024. 'I've always worked for young people, so I've seen first-hand the impacts of foster care and the types of people who need that support,' he said. 'I'm a single gay man, which might not fit with people's view of a stereotypical foster carer, but it's now such a broad selection of people. I saw that first-hand going through the process. I also work full time, which I thought would be a barrier but it hasn't been at all.' One boy and a brother and sister regularly stay with James during weekends and school holidays. 'It's almost like a little holiday. We're often doing different activities, taking them out and about,' James said. 'Some of these kids have had such difficult experiences, and it's great to do fun stuff with them which they don't get to do very often. 'It makes a difference to the kids, but it's also giving their carers a bit of respite as well. It benefits both ways.' James hopes his involvement in fostering can expand from the stereotypes people may have of foster carers. 'There are misconceptions,' he said. 'People think you need to be retired or not working or have these kids all the time, when actually there's a whole bunch of different ways of getting involved. 'If you've got the will to make it work and are going into it with the ability and desire to help people, that's a great starting point. I'm absolutely loving it and the team around me has been really supportive.' When they move on we feel two equally strong emotions: loss and triumph © Supplied Eric and Rena Parker, from Fife, have fostered 40 children over 14 years, from emergency care to longer stays. 'We've always loved kids,' Eric said. 'We've had three of our own and we've got five grandchildren now with another one on the way. 'The rewarding aspect was the feeling of doing good for a wee one. 'It's just a feeling of fulfilment and supporting a child, being there for them when maybe nobody else is and filling that gap. 'We look at ourselves as being a bridge. Ultimately, when they move and they transition towards something else, that's a great hardship for us, but it's also a great, positive thing. 'We feel two equally strong emotions, a sense of loss but another sense of triumph.' Eric, a former community psychiatric nurse, still keeps in touch with some of those who the couple have had through their doors. 'We fostered a boy who arrived in the UK as a refugee from Afghanistan, who stayed with us between the ages of 14 and 16. He still sends us Christmas, Father's Day and Mother's Day cards and has come on really well.' For anyone thinking they'd be interested in fostering, Eric, 65, said: 'Until you get involved, you don't realise how big the need is just in your locality. 'Speak to people who have a little bit of experience or can give you some insight. Make the inquiry. There's no pressure. 'You are rewarded, you are paid, you are helped to manage the situation and that's good. You're not left on your own just to get on with it.' We have had a thousand rewarding moments © Supplied Bruce Ramage and his wife Debbie, from Alloa, have been fostering for more than 13 years. Their journey began after supporting a family member through the adoption process and facing challenges conceiving a second child. They went through seven months of intensive training and a further nine months of preparation work before being approved. 'It was long so we had the opportunity to see if it was right for us,' Bruce said. 'Can we do what the expectations are, can we open ourselves up completely? Everything came back as a yes.' Over their time as foster carers, they've had between 30 and 40 placements, ranging from full-time stays to short respites. 'If you'd asked me seven years ago, would I be sitting here today with four kids under 10 … I'm 53, I'd have said no chance! 'It's the best decision we've ever made. I just feel so fortunate that my wife and I can do something for them. We've had a thousand rewarding moments since we started. 'There was a child we had when she was a teenager who would come every Easter for two weeks' respite. She's now a mum herself and we're still in contact. 'The things we did with her in that fortnight, she does with her own kids now.' Bruce added: 'The process is long enough for you to work out if it's for you or not. 'It's now my full-time job. It's more like a vocation, to be honest. It's hard work, testing, and sometimes not given the credit it's due. 'It's about understanding the young person and adapting your life into their way at the start for them to then have the security of adopting your life.' Fostering is open to people of all ethnicities, religions, sexual orientations, genders and family structures. For more information on how to become a foster carer, visit or call the Fosterline service on 0141 204 1400
North Wales Live
25-05-2025
- Health
- North Wales Live
'I don't think I'd be here today if it wasn't for my foster family'
Young adults who have been through the foster care system have spoken about the transformative influence of supportive foster carers on their lives, enabling them to attend university, receive financial support, and providing a safe haven. During this Foster Care Fortnight, care leavers have expressed how fostering has offered them opportunities they might not have otherwise had, resulting in positive experiences despite the system often receiving negative press. They are sharing their stories in an effort to assist others. Jake Jamieson, a 26 year old personal trainer from Gwynedd, entered foster care at the age of seven. He lived with several foster families before finally joining Sian and Owain's family full-time at 18, having previously spent time with them during summer camps. Jake shared: "I was in that time of life when you start a bit of independent living because you're going to university but you still need that support network to go through that transition. I'm extremely grateful they've allowed me to be part of their family, it's been great ever since." Despite being placed with various families, Jake said his childhood remained relatively stable as he was able to stay in the same school and maintain his friendships. He continued: "I don't think I would be where I am in life right now if I didn't go into care. Sian and Owain, they've been brilliant role models for me, helped me through university and helped me set up normal stuff like guarantors and bills. "You always need your mum and dad to help you with things like that." Jake credited his foster parents, who have three children of their own and extensive experience in fostering, for being integral to his life. He still returns to their home for celebrations and holidays such as Christmas and Easter and reciprocates by hosting them at his place. The family connection is strong, with shared vacations often taking them to Turkey. On the professional front, Jake has channeled his studies in sport and nutrition into a career, running his successful personal training business. He enthused: "I absolutely love it, I've found my purpose and I just went with it. It's ironic because I'm helping people be better versions of themselves and that's sort of what happened to me." Join the North Wales Live Whatsapp community now He also tackled the stigma surrounding foster care, sharing his perspective: "I think foster care can sometimes get a bad rep. When I tell people I was brought up in care their instant reaction would be: 'Oh I'm sorry to hear that.' I understand they are thinking he's obviously gone through something to be in that situation but I always say don't be sorry. "For me it's been nothing but positive, if anything I just feel a bit privileged to be able to have those opportunities which I probably wouldn't have had if I didn't go into care. Overall it's a very very positive experience." Discussing advice for youth in care, he offered these words of encouragement: "I would say don't let your past define you. Just because you may have had a bad start in life doesn't mean it needs to go on in that way. Find something that gives you purpose and go with it!". Lisa Bellis, a 27 year old from Wrexham, is soon to embark on her career as a healthcare nurse. She went into foster care at the age of seven, taken on by Gary and Del. She faced early obstacles after being told she had the learning capacity of a two year old due to missing school. Against the odds, Lisa learned to read and write, excelled in her high school exams, and has just completed her nursing degree. Reflecting on her journey, Lisa remarked: "I always say I don't think I'd be here today if it wasn't for them." Having grown up with her foster parents' biological children and other foster kids who she views as siblings, Lisa holds a deep appreciation for Gary and Del's selflessness. With humour, she said that the family seems unable to cut ties with her now. Grateful for their exceptional care, Lisa shared: "They always went above and beyond. They've taken me on about four holidays and always got me things I wanted. It's meant a lot because I didn't have that love and care they've shown me and people deserve a second chance in life." Now a mother to a young daughter of five, Lisa praises how Del and Gary dote on her child, treating her like a grandchild. She light-heartedly added: "If anything they spoil her too much!". "It's obviously scary when you come into care because you don't know these people and you may not know why you're there. But it does get easier. You've just got to trust the process and you've got to trust them because they're there to support and show you what love actually is and what a family is.". According to Welsh Government data, there are currently over 7,198 children in care in Wales. However, the system faces significant strain due to a shortage of foster families, with only 3,800 available. This scarcity of suitable foster carers can lead to siblings being separated, children being relocated away from their familiar surroundings, and insufficient support for young people. Those interested in becoming foster carers can find more information through Foster Wales. Alastair Cope, head of Foster Wales, highlighted the importance of Foster Care Fortnight in recognising the individuals who make a lasting impact on the lives of numerous children in Wales. Cope stated, "Foster Care Fortnight always offers a brilliant opportunity to celebrate the people who create lasting change in the lives of so many children in Wales." He added, "Every fostering journey relies on strong, trusting relationships to create the stability within a loving home that all children deserve. Whether between a foster carer and a child, a child with their foster siblings, or between a family and their social worker, these relationships open up new possibilities for a child's future and help support them into successful independent lives."
Wales Online
25-05-2025
- General
- Wales Online
'I don't think I'd be here today if it wasn't for my foster family'
'I don't think I'd be here today if it wasn't for my foster family' Jake Jamieson and Lisa Bellis have both become part of their foster families Jake first met his foster carer Sian went she looked after him during respite care (Image: Foster Wales ) Young adults who have experienced foster care have spoke about the life-changing impact supportive foster carers have had on their lives, allowing them to go to university, be supported financially and giving them a safe place to come back to. This Foster Care Fortnight care leavers have said foster care gave them opportunities they may have never had before, giving them a really positive experience despite sometimes getting a "bad rep". They have told their stories in a bid to help others. Jake Jamieson, 26 from Gwynedd, is now a personal trainer. He went into foster care at seven years old and had several foster families before he finally became part of Sian and Owain's family full-time when he was 18 having previously spent time with them during summer camps. Jake said: "I was in that time of life when you start a bit of independent living because you're going to university but you still need that support network to go through that transition. I'm extremely grateful they've allowed me to be part of their family, it's been great ever since." Jake said his experience of foster care has been extremely positive (Image: Foster Wales ) Despite being placed with different families, Jake said his childhood had still been fairly settled as he was able to stay in the same school and therefore keep his friends. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here . Article continues below He continued: "I don't think I would be where I am in life right now if I didn't go into care. Sian and Owain, they've been brilliant role models for me, helped me through university and helped me set up normal stuff like guarantors and bills. "You always need your mum and dad to help you with things like that." Jake explained his foster carers have three children of their own and have done lots of fostering over the years. He has now moved out full-time but continues to go back for holidays, birthdays, Christmas and Easter and sometimes has them stay in his house. They also go on family holidays, often opting to head to Turkey. After studying sport and nutrition at university, Jake runs a personal training business. He said: "I absolutely love it, I've found my purpose and I just went with it. It's ironic because I'm helping people be better versions of themselves and that's sort of what happened to me." "I think foster care can sometimes get a bad rep. When I tell people I was brought up in care their instant reaction would be: 'Oh I'm sorry to hear that.' I understand they are thinking he's obviously gone through something to be in that situation but I always say don't be sorry. "For me it's been nothing but positive, if anything I just feel a bit privileged to be able to have those opportunities which I probably wouldn't of had if I didn't go into care. Overall it's a very very positive experience." Talking about young people who are currently in care, he said: "I would say don't let your past define you. Just because you may of had a bad start in life doesn't mean it needs to go on in that way. Find something that gives you purpose and go with it!" Lisa Bellis, 27, from Wrexham, is about to start a job as a healthcare nurse. She was fostered by Gary and Del, aged seven, but she was told she had the brain of a two-year-old because she hadn't been going to school. Lisa said her foster carers have gone "above and beyond" to look after her and her daughter (Image: Lisa Bellis ) Despite not knowing her alphabet or how to read and write, she passed her high school exams and has recently finished a nursing degree. Lisa said: "I always say I don't think I'd be here today if it wasn't for them." Lisa's foster carers have three of their own children and several foster children who Lisa now considers how own siblings. She explained Gary and Del always put everybody else first and joked the family couldn't get rid of her now. She said: "They always went above and beyond. They've taken me on about four holidays and always got me things I wanted. It's meant a lot because I didn't have that love and care they've shown me and people deserve a second chance in life." Lisa's now a mum to a five-year-old daughter and said Del and Gary treat her like their own grandchild. She joked: "If anything they spoil her too much!" "It's obviously scary when you come into care because you don't know these people and you may not know why you're there. But it does get easier. You've just got to trust the process and you've got to trust them because they're there to support and show you what love actually is and what a family is." Data from the Welsh Government shows that in Wales, there are more than 7,198 children in care. However, there is immense pressure on the system with only 3,800 foster families. Low numbers of suitable foster carers can mean siblings are more likely to be separated, children are less likely to be able to stay in the same area and less young people will get the necessary support. People interested in becoming a foster carer can find out more through Foster Wales. Alastair Cope, head of Foster Wales, said: "Foster Care Fortnight always offers a brilliant opportunity to celebrate the people who create lasting change in the lives of so many children in Wales. Article continues below "Every fostering journey relies on strong, trusting relationships to create the stability within a loving home that all children deserve. Whether between a foster carer and a child, a child with their foster siblings, or between a family and their social worker, these relationships open up new possibilities for a child's future and help support them into successful independent lives."
North Wales Chronicle
22-05-2025
- Sport
- North Wales Chronicle
Bala man shares how foster carers gave him 'secure home'
Jake, now 26, was just eight years old when he began short stays at foster carer Sian's house. The visits, which lasted a few days at a time, were filled with football games in the garden and competitive Wii Sports sessions. Jake said these visits felt like holidays, and he always felt part of the family. He said: "In the past, if I said I was in care, people's instant reaction would be to say 'I'm sorry to hear.' "But they shouldn't be sorry. "I see it as a really good thing to be in care because it gives young people a better life, a better opportunity at doing something they probably would never have done otherwise." Jake continued to visit Sian's house throughout his childhood in care. While studying sport nutrition at Liverpool John Moores University, Jake's circumstances changed and he contacted Sian and her husband Owain, who welcomed him into their home on a permanent basis. With their support, Jake has gone on to establish his own business as a personal trainer and now lives independently in Liverpool. Jake said: "If I have any problems or issues, they are my first point of contact. "I see the whole family just as sort of my family now. "I see them as my siblings as well." Sian said: "I'm so proud of him. "He's driven. "Obviously I'm proud of what he's achieved, but I'm proud of so much more than that. "He's got clients, he's successful in his business but for me I take more pride in the young man he has become and that he has allowed all his experiences to shape him. "I'm so pleased to see that he's able to maintain relationships and that he sees us as his family." Jake's story comes as part of Foster Care Fortnight, which takes place between May 12 and May 25, 2025. The fostering community in the UK is celebrating the power of relationships. Foster Wales is appealing to recruit an additional 800 local authority foster carers by 2028 to address this need. Alastair Cope, head of Foster Wales, said: "Foster Care Fortnight always offers a brilliant opportunity to celebrate the people who create lasting change in the lives of so many children in Wales. "Every fostering journey relies on strong, trusting relationships to create the stability within a loving home that all children deserve. "Whether between a foster carer and a child, a child with their foster siblings, or between a family and their social worker, these relationships open up new possibilities for a child's future and help support them into successful independent lives."
