Foster Care Fortnight

#Thisisfostering

Fostering is more than just loving a child, it is helping them to deal with the reasons they have been removed from their family, it is helping them to be the best they can be and helping them build resilience in character to overcome challenges in the future.

Foster Care Fortnight is a time for celebrating the things that foster carers do and at Hackney we want to thank them for looking after our children and young people when they can’t be with their birth families. 

As you come across various articles over this period, 11-24th May, please take time to reflect on your own skills, experiences and what you have to offer a child or young people coming into care. 

Children come into care for different reasons and so, some placements are made on a short term basis, lasting from two weeks to a few years with the hopes of them returning to their birth families. Alternatively, if it is not deemed safe for a child to return to their parents, then arrangements may be made for the child to remain in care long-term, up until they are at least 18 years old. 

There are a number of reasons a person may not be approved by Hackney as a foster carers, i.e. not having the space within their home or not having the capacity to meet the needs of a child due to a busy lifestyle. Your sexuality would never be one of those reasons. Hackney is a diverse borough and we want foster carers that reflect this. As an LGBT applicant you will be subject to all the same checks, processes and consideration as any other applicant. 

Making the decision to foster is a big one, so in addition to our monthly information sessions, we have approved foster carers available for you to speak to during your decision making process and there is lots of support here to help you make a decision that is right for you.