Published on:
09
May 2008
A Clackmannanshire foster family is joining in the UK-wide campaign, Foster Care Fortnight, from Monday 12th May, to attract more local people into fostering.
There are currently 22 foster families in Clackmannanshire looking after 76 foster children. Clackmannanshire Council estimates that we need at least 12 more people to come forward and foster children in the year ahead.
Foster Care Fortnight, co-ordinated by fostering charity the Fostering Network, aims to raise awareness of fostering and highlights the shortage of foster carers. The event runs from 12th to 25th May.
One of Clackmannanshire's longest serving foster carers is Susan Green, who lives in Sauchie.
"I first became a carer in November 1992 for the former Central Regional Council and 10 years ago became a carer for Clackmannanshire Council," she said.
"I can still remember the first child placed with me and I realised straight away that it was the right thing for me to do and was the right thing for my family. After that, I've taken on more and more and my level of commitment has become more intensive and full time. I realised that I had the energy for it and I've gradually got more involved."
A single mum with two daughters of her own, Susan specialises in caring for children with special needs and disabilities.
"I initially provided specialist respite care for children with profound disabilities and gradually got more involved and provided emergency and temporary care as well as respite and am now a long term and permanent carer. There are so many different types of care that fostering can be tailored to suit whatever time you have to offer.
"My children were 5 and 3 when I started fostering so it's something they've always known, but I initially I didn't know what impact it would have on my own family, which is why I first decided to offer respite to children with disabilities. I discovered straight away that I still had lots and lots of time for my own children. My daughters are now 21 and 19, so I now look after three youngsters full time. A 14 year old girl, a 7 year old boy and a 6 year old boy - who are all part of the family."
Having been a foster carer for 16 years, Susan is a huge advocate of fostering and would recommend it to people in Clackmannanshire.
"Fostering is brilliant, I love it," she said. "Of course sometimes it can turn your life upside-down, especially the emergency care. A child can turn up in the middle of the night, scared and traumatised. And it's your job to make them feel safe and cared for. It is a challenge and that's why I love it.
"Of course it's not for everybody, but the spectrum of care packages available means there is something that would suit most people - you don't have to be a two-parent family or have your own children to be a good foster carer."
Susan admits that fostering can be tough.
"My foster children have contact with their birth families as it is in their best interests and you have to keep that in mind. And handing the children back is horrid, but it's part of the job. It's not necessarily sad because you know that you have rehabilitated a family. You have done the best that you can for the child and helped them through a transition."
She added: "There is lot of support and training - as well as the statutory training you can also take other courses to build up your skills. Fostering has become second nature to me, but it's good to feel like I'm part of a team. There is always support at the end of the telephone and a network of other carers locally that you can speak to."
The Council's Fostering and Adoption Team Manager Ilene Easdon-Hynds would be delighted to hear from young people, older people, single people, people who work part-time and people who don't have their own children.
"I would like to hear from people who may not think of themselves as typical foster carers. Personal circumstances are less important than the ability to supply a safe, secure and stable home environment for children or young people in need. We need carers who can provide a variety of care such as covering weekends and holidays as well as full-time," she said.
All foster carers receive an allowance to make sure that they are not out of pocket when caring for a child. An excellent training programme is also offered.
Ilene added: "The Council aims to keep brothers and sisters together whenever possible, and to enable children to maintain close links with their local community, so we want to recruit carers who can provide that resource. The benefit of being a Council foster carer is that there is a huge support network on your doorstep. It is also better for the children involved if they get to stay at their own school with their friends and can still attend their hobbies such as football or brownies because they are being fostered in their own community."
For more information about fostering call 01259 225000 or visit www.clacksweb.org.uk.