Fostering – Adoption: PM unveils ‘foster to adopt’ plan

Babies need a stable loving home as early as possible, ministers say
New-born babies being taken into care should be fostered by people who want to adopt them, the prime minister has said.
David Cameron has said the law in England will be changed to encourage more councils to do this - so more babies can find a loving home earlier. He says it is "shocking" that so many babies taken in to care at one month wait 15 months to be adopted.
The government has pledged to simplify and speed up the adoption process.
It wants babies to be placed with prospective adoptive parents before the courts have decided to remove them permanently from their natural parents.
This is already being done by some councils, such as Harrow, which is working with the Coram children's charity. In some cases, there might be disappointment for those trying to adopt, because the courts might eventually decide to return the child to its natural parents.

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Foster carers - Changing your current fostering agency

Foster carers decide to change fostering agencies for a variety of reasons. Foster carers who have transferred their approval with our help have told us:

• That they had not been properly supported
• Their fostering fees and allowances were not competitive
• That not enough training or respite had not been offered to them.

Some foster carers told us that they experienced long periods of time without a child placed. As a foster carer, you are free to choose the fostering agency you foster for. We provide a free fostering agency transfer service for foster carers. Our qualified social workers are experienced in working with carers who would like to transfer from their current agency.
Find out more about your rights, how we help you to find the best fostering agency for you and your family and how we act on your behalf in confidence, to transfer agency.

Free transfer and agency matching service

London Fosterinf provides a free and confidential service available to approved foster carers who want to transfer to another fostering agency. As other people do in most jobs, foster carers may decide that it is time to move on and to change to another agency who may offer better support, allowances, training, respite and choice of placements.
If you make an enquiry, we assess your situation then identify a number of suitable fostering agencies for you to choose from.
If you decide to use our service and have children in placement at the time of transfer, we will pay you an annual fee of £1000 for each child as long as you are registered with the new agency and the child/children remain placed with you.
We are able to provide this extra funding because of the agreed contracts we have with over 60 fostering agencies who donate part of their ‘profit element’ with us and who are commited to supporting our foster carer’s transfer service.
We simply share the donation we receive with the transferring foster carer(s) who often choose to increase their level of respite care or have an extra family holiday which helps to reduce the stresses of fostering.
Contact us to apply to foster children.

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Foster carers awarded MBEs

A Flintshire couple have been awarded with MBEs in the Queen’s birthday honours list after more than a quarter of a century as foster parents.

During that time Alice and David Oldfield from Shotton have looked after more than 100 children.
The couple, both 75, say they have no intention of giving up fostering “as long as we can move around”. Meanwhile, Martin Walter Shaw, from Anglesey, receives an OBE for services to the National Bee Unit.
Mr Oldfield said the honour came as a “complete surprise” but they were both “very, very pleased”. We didn’t understand it, we felt some people were more deserving… but we’re very, very pleased”

“We try to keep in touch with them (their foster children) when they leave although they are spread out in different parts of the country by now,” said Mr Oldfield. “They visit us though, with their own children, and it’s rewarding to see that they’ve done good.”

Mr and Mrs Oldfield, who have four of their own children, decided to give fostering “a go” over 25 years ago. “It’s something we both agreed to do,” Mr Oldfield said. “We take an interest in them, it’s not just a job.

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Fostering - Government package to help attract and retain more foster carer

Fostering – The government has unveiled a new package of support to help local authorities attract and retain more foster carers from a wider range of backgrounds.

Speaking at the National Fostering Agency’s annual conference, the Children and Families Minister Edward Timpson announced a new package of support totalling £750,000 which will be used to:

• provide Fostering Network with £250,000 over 2 years to boost local recruitment of foster carers and help councils share good practice nationally
• provide intervention programmes for looked-after children and those on the edge of care and custody and their families
• fund 3 partnerships between local authorities and independent fostering services to explore new ways of recruitment and retaining a wider group of foster carers – including working professionals and those with the skills and experience to care for children with more complex needs

Today’s announcement will support local authorities in recruiting foster carers who have the specialist skills to care for vulnerable children with different needs – giving them the support and stable environment they need to thrive and reach their full potential.

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Foster Care Fortnight

The Fostering Network has kicked off their annual Foster Care Fortnight to highlight the need for 9,000 new foster carers across the UK to meet the need of vulnerable children and young people. Loving homes are always needed to help provide security and stability to some of the most disadvantaged young people. 

If you are thinking about becoming a foster carer, Could You Foster? (a page on the Fostering Network's Website) provides information on what fostering is and the type of children that need fostering. You can also find a fostering service near you to make an application or find out more about fostering in your area. 

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Crisis for vulnerable children

Every day in the UK there are around eight thousand vacancies for new foster carers. This shortfall reduces the chances of finding the most suitable foster carer for each child or young person who need a place of safety. Poorly matched fostering placements suffer more disruption and placement breakdowns. Any increase in foster carer numbers would improve children's chances of successful foster care experiences.

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Fostering Children - Foster Care News

Up to date news and information about fostering children in the UK.

Find out all about fostering, how to apply to become a foster carer, the assessment process, allowances and the support provided.

Use our free 'Foster Carer Enquiry - Fostering Agency Matching Service' to help find the best Fostering Agencies with vacancies where you live.

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