Hertfordshire Joins Forces to Help Children

In a bid to collectively recruit more foster carers to look after some of the region’s most vulnerable children, Hertfordshire County Council has joined forces with ten other local authorities in the East of England, in a new initiative for fostering under the banner Foster East.

There is an urgent need for foster carers in the East of England with more than 7,000 vulnerable children already in the care of their local authority, and a further 150 children coming into care every month.

In Hertfordshire there are 975 children and young people ranging from babies to 17-year-olds who need safe, loving and nurturing homes where they can thrive and develop.

The Foster East initiative which is funded by the Department of Education is a new, collaborative approach to foster carer recruitment and support. Councils will work together to provide more comprehensive training, support and best practice. Each applicant will be nurtured through their fostering journey with their local council and via a buddy network. Foster East advisors will help people find out how fostering can become part of their lives.

Every local authority aims to keep children and young people local to their support networks, but a shortage of foster families in our area means this is not always possible.

Fostering is a flexible role with options for short term care from a weekend a month to longer term opportunities, all providing life-changing support for local children.

Hertfordshire County Council’s Director of Specialist Services, Miranda Gittos, said: ‘Each council has a slightly different way of working but we all share the same aims: to improve the experience that our foster carers have during the application process, to provide solid training and in-depth support to ensure they can care with confidence, and to increase the number of foster carers working with us across the region so we can keep our children rooted in their local communities.

‘Coming into care is an extremely distressing time for any child. If we can provide more loving foster families in their local area, we can minimise the disruption to their lives, and ensure these children can still attend their usual school, see their friends and family members, and participate in their usual activities, whilst having the support they need to thrive in a safe home environment. I also want to say a big thank you to our wonderful foster carers who currently do so much to help children in need.’

Foster carers working for independent fostering agencies are also invited to transfer to their local council via Foster East. They will benefit from local training, and a linked foster carers support network which will offer respite care for foster families needing a break.

Foster East will give people considering fostering the opportunity to speak to an advisor from 8am to 8pm daily, and the chance to talk to an experienced foster carer to find out more about what the role involves and ask any questions they may have. To find out more about fostering In Hertfordshire, visit www.fostereast.org.uk or call 0800 917 0925.

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