Foster to help Ukraine children affected by war.
The BBC news really made me think this morning, it reported, `Tens of thousands of children in Ukrainian orphanages and foster care are in desperate need to get out of the country`. As a foster carer for https://fosteringuk.org.uk/ living in the UK , my heart really did sink and all I wanted to do was help. I immediately rang the agency and told them that I was keen to support the children of war-torn Ukraine and I would be happy to foster them here in the UK. I agreed to share my feelings and reach out to others in a bid to help.
I know that some of the staff at https://fosteringuk.org.uk/ have been showing their support through raising money for the humanitarian aid and also packing clothes, toiletries and other essentials to be sent over to Ukraine for the adults and children. I thought, so this is something I can do that would make a really big difference. I hope that this encourages others to consider this too.
https://fosteringuk.org.uk/ is an agency that encourages difference, they have the right https://fosteringuk.org.uk/our-ethos/ . Everyone feels part of the family no matter what their background. They have supported me to get the right support when I cared for some children whose birth country was not the UK previously, they accessed video material, language aids and gave me a concise pack of general cultural information, this was invaluable. That alongside the training and can-do attitude of Fostering UK, I felt totally supported and knew what I needed to do. You could do the same.
Can anyone be a foster carer?
When I first considered fostering, I thought you had to be qualified and have some sort of training. I quickly found out that this was not true. All you need is a spare room, time to commit to a child, love to give and finally a big heart. Have a look at the Fostering UK website https://fosteringuk.org.uk/who-can-foster/ as it is really clear that you do not need to be a super hero to foster.
Will I get training and support?
Fostering UK provides all its foster carers with an excellent package of pay and support. I have always felt that this is very generous and it really gives me the opportunity to make sure that my foster child has all his needs met.
Fostering UK will take you through the assessment process and you will be provided with initial training to support your application. It’s nothing to worry about, they are really friendly. Once approved specialist training is provided and there are all sorts of topics to help you understand the needs of the children you will care for.
All foster carers have regular contact with their supervising social worker and the support of their wider local team, including therapeutic care professionals. Carer support groups are really great fun, but they are also really supportive, I always look forward to sharing my stories and getting advice from other carers.
Finally….as one carer to someone that is considering fostering , `just do it`, seeing the news about the Ukraine children needing foster care has made me realise just how much we can help in a different way. Fostering will change your life for the better, I can’t believe how much is has changed mine and I would never want to do anything different. Each and every day I reflect on the children suffering in Ukraine and just want to be able to help them too. Please apply here