recruitment

Many of you will have already seen the news that as of 31 July 2015, the British Association for Adoption and Fostering, BAAF, has closed. The Fostering Network has been proud to stand with BAAF and their staff in campaigning for changes in legislation and guidance that will have a positive effect on children and young people for generations to come.

Foster Care Fortnight 2015 saw a tidal wave of fostering and orange has swept across the UK thanks to you and your foster carers.

February saw the publication of The Fostering Network’s new recruitment target for 2015. The figure, 8,370, reflects the continued rise of children coming into care, the significant numbers of foster carers leaving the service in the past year and a factor to allow sufficient placement choice.

Welcome back, full of energy, innovative ideas and drive to recruit and retain the foster carers you need for 2015.

As the calendar year draws to a close, this month’s Attracting and Keeping Carers blog reaches you a little earlier than normal to avoid being lost in the festivities.

November began with the selected 12 English local authorities joining us for a workshop as part of the Department for Education funded project to Support fostering services to recruit more foster carers.

October kicked off with The Fostering Network’s annual showcase event, our conference which this year carried the theme of ‘The future of foster care – a focus on children and young people’.

Next month sees one of the greatest migrations of young people across the UK as hundreds of thousands leave home to begin their university education. Empty nest syndrome is well documented, and many foster carers reference a quiet home, missing the hubbub of young people and, genuine quote, "someone to make me a nice cup of tea" as a reason to consider fostering!