They say it takes a village to raise a child, and foster care is no exception. Foster carers who welcome children and young people into their homes certainly place themselves at the centre of a very large and diverse network. As a foster carer, not only will you be part of a team of professionals supporting a child in care, you’ll also be making new friendships and connections within your local community.
When children and young people first come into care, the fostering service assigns a team of experts to ensure that they have everything that they need to settle in with their foster family and fulfil their potential.
For example, children in care and their foster carers are primarily supported by social workers, who will be in frequent contact, visiting your home and attending meetings where the child’s progress is discussed.
Foster carers and social workers also work closely with health and education professionals to support the child’s development. There will be a dedicated health team to carry out assessments and provide follow-up care and support, for example. At school, foster carers work with the children’s teachers, the headteacher and the special educational needs coordinator (Senco), to understand the child’s needs and put in any additional support. The local authority’s virtual school will also play a prominent role in supporting the child.
Children in foster care are appointed a legal guardian by the family court to represent the rights and interests of the child. Legal guardians give independent advice to the court, which means that they do not necessarily agree with the local authority. By law, there must also be an independent reviewing officer, usually referred to as the IRO. Their job is to ensure that a child’s care plan is appropriate for the child and ensure that review meetings take place with all the relevant stakeholders. They also must make sure that the views and wishes of children and young people are heard and recorded.
At the heart of this community of professionals is you, the foster carer. It can feel intimidating to be among people who are very knowledgeable about rules and regulations and who may use terms that need to be unpicked, but the reality is, the foster carer who lives with the child 24/7 will know them better than anyone else in the room. Foster carers will still be there for the child, long after the normal working day has ended and everyone else has gone home.
Of course, the foster carer’s community goes well beyond the formal team and its statutory responsibilities. The joy of fostering is to be found at the school gate and in play parks. It is about building relationships with new families and new friends to help children in care find their place and live the fulfilling lives they deserve.
It is about providing positive experiences and life skills that will support them into adulthood. Accompanying foster children to birthday parties or school outings and cheering them on from the sidelines when they compete in sporting events – these are all opportunities to meet new people and forge friendships that will sustain you and the child in your care through the following months and years.
Relationships with other foster carers are extremely important. An existing foster carer may have inspired you to foster in the first place. You will meet other foster carers during the application process, not least during the Skills to Foster training, and in subsequent training courses along the way. You can learn so much from experienced foster carers and, in time, share your own knowledge and experience with families setting out on their own fostering journeys. You will also meet at social events and form your own networks of support and friendship.
A recent innovation has been some of our local authorities adopting foster carer hubs, through a scheme called Mockingbird. Where this scheme runs, fosters carers can help each other with things like short breaks or babysitting. The aim is to recreate something akin to an extended family, like aunts, uncles, and cousins, so there is always someone known to the children who can offer a helping hand when it is needed.
Taking the first step to apply to foster can feel daunting. What’s important to remember is that there is community of people, from all walks of life and of all ages, ready to welcome you and to stand by your side through the highs and lows. You will stand shoulder to shoulder with extraordinary people doing extraordinary things each and every day.