SPONSORED EDITORIAL

Are you interested in fostering but unsure if it’s for you?

Fostering is a deeply fulfilling way of life, which anyone who has a passion for giving children the best possible start should consider. It is about giving young people a place to call home.

According to figures from Medway Council, there are approximately 64,000 children in Medway out of which 419 are in the care of the Local Authority.

A total of 308 children are in Foster Care with 197 of these children placed within the 159 Medway Fostering Households.

The remaining 111 of Medway’s children in care are placed with Independent Fostering Agencies because there are simply not enough carers in Medway.

But getting people to become foster carers is not without its challenges.

CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ABOUT FOSTER CARE IN MEDWAY

More often than not, people interested in fostering are quite naturally uneasy about making that first step or even enquiring about the prospect of becoming a foster carer.

The Medway Fostering Team aims to put those concerns at ease.

“Many people are very tentative when it comes to fostering which is totally understandable,” said Daniel Fantetti, who is Recruitment and Marketing Officer for the Fostering Team at Medway Council.

“From our experience dealing with people interested in becoming foster carers, they often tell us that they feel pressured or forced into quickly signing up. Our aim is to make people relax and first contact will be an informative chat. Most simply prefer talking by phone or chatting via Facebook Messenger on our official Facebook page.

“People are often nervous about taking the next step as they think that they will be formally registered or their enquiry will automatically trigger a process.

“It is so important that they feel comfortable about such an important decision and we are here to help them make whatever right decision.”

There are a number of reasons why somebody may want to become a foster carer but the biggest one is the desire to make a difference in the life of a child.

Just like other areas within the UK, there are children across Kent that are victims of abuse, abandonment or are simply not able to live with their families anymore.

Lisa is foster carer in Medway and she says looking after the children in her care has given her a huge amount of empathy as well as enabled her to look at the world from someone else’s perspective.

“Watching the young person in my care achieve what they may have felt was impossible is for me the most rewarding part about being a foster carer,” she said.

“I am proud of the young people in my care.

CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ABOUT FOSTER CARE IN MEDWAY

“I have three girls, two 18 year olds, and two 16 year olds, each with their own personalities and backgrounds. Watching them grow into respectful, empathetic, funny, intelligent individuals makes the difficult times worthwhile.”

The biggest awareness campaign for foster care - Foster Care Fortnight - got underway throughout the UK last month with the aim of uniting foster carers and agencies in showing their appreciation for those currently supporting young people.

The drive is also about raising awareness about fostering and finding new carers to help so many children still in need of care.

“Medway’s Social Services provide adequate training and support,” continued Lisa.

“The Skills to Foster course is particularly enlightening and if you are willing to continue after this then you’ll never look back.

Those interested in contacting Fostering at Medway Council can visit the official website by clicking here or telephone 01634 335 726.
You can also visit the official Facebook page by clicking here.