Foster Care Changes Lives

Foster care literally changes lives; yours and theirs. Those changes and memories are incredibly rewarding as Karen Venditto from East Sussex County Council Fostering team explains

EAST SUSSEX COUNTY COUNCIL IS A NATURAL CHOICE

East Sussex County Council provide all kinds of services to the county’s population, including Children’s Services who are responsible for all the children in need of care in East Sussex; their schools, libraries and so on. They have unparalleled experience and a huge team which supports their network of foster carers, children in care, care leavers and their social workers in an established and trusted network 24/7. Everything is all under one very local umbrella. They are your local authority and spend their time focussing on the needs of the children, not on making a profit. FACTS: • 9,000 new foster carers are needed across the UK to provide homes full of kindness, patience and guidance to help children and young people feel safe, happy and flourish • Since 2014, there has been an 11% increase in the number of children coming into care

If you’re wondering if you can become a foster carer (you probably can) it might be confusing working out the best way forward…

BEHIND THE SCENES

“I love my job even with its challenges because I know the work I’ve done throughout my career has made a real difference to children and families facing difficulties. I became a social worker in 1978, and now I manage a fantastic team of over 50 here – practice managers, social workers, caseworkers and admin staff. They are loyal, and truly professional in the way that they carry out all their responsibilities. However, the reality is that the 24/7 responsibility for our young people and the people with the real power to make a difference and change lives are our foster carers and supported lodgings providers. They provide our young people with the positive examples of relationships and parenting that they will take forward in their adult lives. They are dedicated in their work and proud of the positive change we bring to children’s lives. We are fortunate to be supported by East Sussex County Council who have a proven and outstandingly recognised commitment to their looked after children.”

Adrian, Operations Manager #WeChooseEastSussex

• Most foster carers don’t foster for the money. Really. It’s usually a vocational choice. However, fostering for your local authority is a very stable income because they always have local children waiting for fostering placements and payments are from £264 up to £1,048 per week, per placement.

• ESCC always match children’s placements with their own foster carers first. This ensures better outcomes for the children and the fostering family too.

• 84% of local children’s placements in 2021/22 were made with ESCC’s own carers.

• It’s your choice who you foster with, but there is an increasing trend towards private agency foster carers

Everyone has their own individual set of circumstances, backgrounds and of course questions.

Here are some common concerns and the answer is YES!

“Friends in my [fostering] support group were chatting the other day and we were working it out and we’ve got two or three hundred years of fostering between us!… Once you start doing it, no other job seems important compared to it. You have such an impact on these children.”

Helen, East Sussex County Council Foster Carer

transferring to local authorities for many of the reasons above.

SO, COULD YOU BE A FOSTER CARER? If you are aged over 21, with a spare bedroom a child could call their own, and you have time, understanding and the willingness to support children to thrive, you could foster. ‘Can I foster if…?’

• I’m single • I’m retired • We are tenants not homeowners • I haven’t had my own children, or my kids still live at home • I’m LGBTQIA+ • I have a disability or medical condition • I’m religious • I’m unemployed, or I’d like to keep working alongside fostering • We have pets • I don’t have qualifications • We want to request an age range that would fit in with our family • I’d love to do this part time. l

If you’ve ever been curious about fostering, now’s the time to find out more and meet the team. Either call the Fostering Recruitment Team on 01323 464129, visit our website or join one of our Virtual Information Events online on the ‘Contact Us’ page. • Tuesday 11 October 12.30pm to 1.30pm • Thursday 27 October 5.30pm to 6.30pm eastsussex.gov.uk/EastSussexFostering

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