East Riding councillors work together to promote fostering

Children’s Scrutiny Committee have pledged to promote fostering and are encouraging all councillors to do the same, at today’s Full Council meeting.

Councillor Victoria Aitken, cabinet member for children, families and education led the discussion, calling for all councillors to help raise awareness of the need for more foster carers.

Councillor Aitken said: “We just don’t have enough local families coming forward to offer their love and care to support local children.

“Foster families come in all shapes, sizes, ages and can include single people as well as couples. I want us to be able to offer the right support in the right place at the right time for our East Riding children and young people.

“Foster carers are very much part of my plan to get the best outcomes possible for our East Riding children.

“The council has recently increased our fostering allowances, and the whole foster care offer has been improved with:

• Increased foster carer allowances which match or are higher than other authorities locally
• There is an allowance to help with equipment and setting up your home when you first start to foster
• There are holiday payments and mileage allowances
• Financial support to help towards Christmas
• Free leisure passes at East Riding Leisure Centres
• We have an annual loyalty payment – to say thank you

“We have also increased our marketing campaigns and improved and relaunched the website. We have a dedicated recruitment team, to help those who show an interest. We have a Refer a friend offer of £1000, and we are also becoming a Fostering Friendly Local Authority giving staff the support they need to become great foster carers.

“We not only need to recruit foster cares, but we also need to retain those who have already stepped forward, so we are:

• Building an excellent training offer which will make difficult times easier and good ideas shared
• Increasing the level of social worker support and supervision
• Organising and leading joint activity events to create an East Riding Fostering community
• There are support groups and coffee mornings for all in the Fostering Family
• There are therapists to help with challenges

Councillor Aitken concluded by asking all councillors to help promote fostering within their wards. She said: “There is nothing more rewarding than giving a child a great start in life.”

Anyone who would like to find out more about fostering, or if you’re an experienced carer wanting to transfer, get in touch with East Riding Fostering:
Telephone (01482) 394095
Email: fosteringrecruitment@eastriding.gov.uk
Search: www.eastriding.gov.uk/fostering   
Facebook: East Riding Fostering