Category: Articles

17 August 2016

Whilst school holidays can represent freedom and fun filled days for some families, for others they can be poignant times associated with the end of an era! Families with older teenagers may be facing the prospect of a teary goodbye as they wave their children off to university or college come September and October. After 18 plus years…

26 March 2016

Are you considering fostering a child but, but wondering “can you foster if you have pets”? This comprehensive guide addresses the common queries and sheds light on the rules and guidance around fostering children with pets in the home. Can Foster Parents Have Pets? The answer is a resounding yes, you can foster if have pets! Many prospective…

3 February 2016

After a wet and miserable start to the year, Fostering February is a campaign aimed at a very positive message and designed to raise awareness about foster caring and what this actually involves. During the month, the emphasis will be on dispelling some of the myths and misconceptions which surround fostering, myths that might be preventing people from…

18 January 2016

To function successfully with their peer groups and in wider society, all children need to learn important skills such as being able to work as part of a group, cooperating with others, following directions, using self-control, and concentrating on tasks. Social and emotional competence describes our ability to understand, manage, and express these aspects of our lives in…

11 January 2016

In this blog post we will aim to answer the question of how does fostering affect birth children. We hope to explore the topic of birth children and foster care by assessing the experiences and impacts of fostering on birth children, highlighting the necessity for inclusive family decision-making, the importance of information and support, and the transformative effects…

4 January 2016

Christmas is a time when thoughts are focused on family and children and possibly on the New Year ahead. So now the tree and decorations are down for another year, these thoughts may now have developed into New Year Resolutions. For some people, these resolutions have included a decision to take positive steps towards doing something to help…

22 December 2015

Being a care leaver is often difficult and can be fraught with challenges as the quote below evidences. “When, like me, you live by yourself, it's more hurtful when you realise you're no longer in the care system and you really don't have a family. When you leave care, that's when you realise life is only going to…

14 December 2015

Christmas can, and should be, a magical time for children and their families, but many fostered children and young people can find this time of year very stressful and difficult. Christmas can present a mixed bag of emotions, and it’s important for foster carers to acknowledge the feelings the Season may evoke, and support the young person to manage…

26 November 2015

Navigating the complexities of fostering while managing a full-time job can seem daunting at first glance. Many prospective foster carers wonder if it's possible to juggle the responsibilities of both roles effectively, which is why “can you foster and work full time?” is one of the most common questions we receive. This comprehensive guide delves into the intricacies…

17 November 2015

As experienced foster carers looking to change fostering agency you should have a clear idea of what you are looking for from any new agency. If what you are looking for is an agency that offers extensive knowledge shared by staff with many years of experience and who know what a good foster care agency looks like, an…