Life in Salford 27 • November 2019 25
Have you ever thought about fostering a teenager? If you’ve been thinking about fostering, but don’t want to go back to bottles and nappies, why not look into fostering an older child? If you enjoyed taking your own children to gigs, football games, theatre shows or the cinema, could you give the same experiences to another teenager? You can help them get on the right track and give them the inspiration to go to college or get a good apprenticeship to put them on the road to a successful career. Sue* currently cares for three teenage brothers and sisters. She said: "Being a carer for teenagers is a really rewarding role as well as extremely challenging at times. "Watching them settle in over the last year has been fantastic as has seeing their reactions when they experience new fun and exciting opportunities. These are things a lot of people take for granted such as going to a concert, having a summer BBQ in the garden or going on holiday. It’s amazing just watching the joy on their face and seeing them thrive. Older children in care need nurturing just as much as younger children. Watching them dealing with some pretty big issues can be tough but this is a crucial time for them to be able to grow and develop into confident and happy young adults. They just need a loving home, a listening ear and a chance to fulfil their potential." Can you help us to keep our Salford young people in their local area? Sadly, at the moment, when we can’t find a foster family here in Salford, we have to place our teenagers with a foster family, or even in a residential children’s home in another area of the country. This may mean they have to leave their school and friends behind and can often struggle to adjust. If you’re interested in fostering a child aged 11+ please call us for a chat on 0161 799 1268 or visit www.salford.gov.uk/foster *Names have been changed. Photo posed by models.
Why foster for Salford? •
You’ll receive a regular allowance, and other payments for things like birthdays and clothes. • We offer a full programme of training held at local venues, and you’ll be linked to an experienced foster carer who you can contact for advice and support. • You’re never on your own - you’ll have a dedicated personal social worker who will visit you regularly and we have a 24/7 emergency phone line. • We pride ourselves on finding the best match to suit you and your family and we have regular social activities and support groups for carers and their birth children. • You can join our Foster Carers’ Association and go to regular coffee mornings for independent support and advice. You can see full details at www.salford.gov.uk/foster
