Could you be a foster carer?

Foster for Plymouth – Plymouth City Council’s foster carer recruitment service – has launched a new campaign to encourage local people to be foster carers, in particular to foster older children and teenagers.

Foster for Plymouth want to highlight the positive benefits of caring for older children and aims to encourage those interested in fostering, to specifically consider this age group.

Pam and Glynn have been fostering for 14 years and particularly enjoy caring for teenagers. They have looked after many teenagers and helped them overcome difficulties in their young lives.

Pam said: ‘Fostering teenagers is challenging but extremely rewarding. Building a relationship is the key to managing difficult situations. They need to know that you have got their backs and will fight their corner.’

Jacob (not his real name) is 16 years old and has been with Pam and Glynn for three years. He said: ‘I don’t know where I would be without Pam and Glynn. They have stuck by me through everything. They involve me just the same as if I was one of their birth children. I love living with them and I am confident I can manage independence with all I have learned from them.’

Foster carers can be single or couples; with or without children, retired, unemployed or working. What matters most is that potential carers have time, space, commitment, patience, a caring nature and skills to work with children and their families.

Fostering can be for as little as a few weeks or a few months until a child is able to return home to their family or longer term until a child grows up and is able to move on to independence.

Full training and support is given to foster carers, who are matched to one or more of the different foster care schemes, depending on their lifestyles and commitments. Carers are paid an allowance reflecting the real cost of looking after a child.

For more information call 01752 304067, email  fostering@plymouth.gov.uk  or visit www.fosterforplymouth.co.uk