Celebrating Southampton’s foster carers
This Monday marks the start of Foster Care Fortnight (Monday 10 – Sunday 23 May), a two-week celebration of the vital role that foster carers play in helping to change young lives in the city.
Foster Care Fortnight was launched by the Fostering Network and aims to encourage people to find out more about fostering.
In Southampton, there is an urgent need for new foster carers. Applications are welcome from people aged over 21 who are single, in a relationship, married or divorced, with or without their own children and regardless of gender or sexual orientation. We also welcome applications from those members of our community who would describe themselves as having a disability.
To help people understand more about the practical aspects of fostering and the assessment process for new applicants, the council is running a free virtual information session on Thursday (13 May) at 19.30 for anyone who is interested in or has questions about fostering.
Anyone who wants to attend should register in advance with our friendly fostering team by emailing them at fostering@southampton.gov.uk or calling 0800 5 191818 by 12 noon on Thursday. The fostering team will then send them the joining instructions.
Rob Henderson, Executive Director Wellbeing (Children and Learning), said:
“Our foster carers are an enormously valued part of the ‘Southampton family’ and represent the very best of the city, often going the extra mile to keep children safe and comfortable in sometimes challenging circumstances. All of us have been so impressed by the way that foster carers have adapted, adjusted and continued to support children in the midst of a major pandemic and we are all immensely grateful for everything they are doing. With more children in Southampton still needing the stability that a foster placement can bring, there’s never been a more important time to consider becoming a foster carer and changing a child’s life.”
This month, the council is launching a new fostering scheme and is looking for people who have experience of working with children, young people or adults and are considering a change of direction. The new fostering scheme is called step-across fostering and aims to find specialist foster homes for children and young people wishing to move from children’s homes and residential settings, back into a family environment. Some of these children and young people have extra emotional needs, special educational needs or be at higher risk of exploitation and this means they need extra support. People who become step-across foster carers receive a high level of tailored support and enhanced remuneration equivalent to a full-time salary when they have a child in their care.
Southampton City Council offers all foster carers a generous allowance, comprehensive training and 24/7 help and advice. To find out more about fostering and to register your interest, visit our fostering pages or contact the fostering team on 0800 5 19 18 18.