Plymouth City Council are looking for potential foster carers to bring positive change to a child’s life. Can you help?
Plymouth City Council believe that it’s best if families are helped to stay together. However, they also know that there are times when children and young people can’t live in their own home – or might need extra help to do so. Foster care can help a child or young person to feel stable and supported whilst they are unable to live at home with their birth family. Some children will go back to live with their parents or other family members, while other remains in foster care until they are ready to live independently.
There are many reasons for children entering care such as short-term illness of a parent or exposure to abuse and neglect. Regardless of their previous experiences, it is important that these children and young people have the opportunity to live in a family that can offer them the love and stability they need to thrive and successfully transition into adulthood.
It is currently estimated that there is a need for more than 8,000 new fostering families across the UK over the next 12 months. In Plymouth alone, there are over 350 children in care at any one time. More specifically, there is a requirement for foster carers who are able to look after teenagers, sibling groups and children and young people with additional needs. The more fostering families there are in the UK the more likely children and young people are to find a match which is well suited to their needs, interests and personality.
Can you help?
Plymouth City Council are always keen to hear from people just like you who think they could to change a child’s life. Foster carers make a real difference to the lives of children and young people by providing a family to those who really need one. Because of them, our most vulnerable children in care have the security of a family unit and are well taken care of.
At Plymouth City Council, a dedicated team of foster carers offer love, support and a secure home to children and young people who, through no fault of their own, cannot live with their own families. All carers need to be committed to providing high quality care and support to vulnerable children. You’ll be helping ensure the child lives in a safe, stimulating environment so they can grow and thrive as individuals and as part of a family.
There is no such thing as an ‘ideal’ foster carer and the council are interested in what you can offer to a child and how you can best fulfil their individual needs. You don’t need any special qualifications as training will provide you with all the skills needed to be a great foster carer.
There are many myths surrounding fostering. The truth is that anyone over the age of 21 can be considered as a potential foster carer, regardless of marital status, disability, gender, religion, sexual orientation, income or whether you have parenting experience or not.
Once you are approved, the council will start matching you to children needing a foster family. This is often an exciting yet anxious time for new carers, but don’t worry as you’ll receive plenty of help and support at all times.
Plymouth City Council provide the best possible service to children and young people and to foster carers too. To do this it is important that a generous financial package and a high level of support is provided to all carers.
So if you think that this sounds like you why not get in touch? Plymouth City Council are waiting to hear from you. So are the children.
To get in contact, you can...
Visit the website: web.plymouth.gov.uk/fosterforplymouth.htmGive them a call on: 01752 308760
Or email: fostering@plymouth.gov.uk
