If it’s time for a change, it could be time to contact Shropshire Fostering
The daily battle with the traffic and the clock watching at work - if there’s anything positive to have come out of the pandemic it’s that it has made a lot of us reassess what we want from life.
It’s not surprising to hear people say that they’ve enjoyed a different pace of life and realised they are in the wrong job, while others have decided they want to do something that makes a difference.
Fostering is a chance to find a new vocation and have an impact on the lives of children who are in need of support and care. It can be a difficult decision to make, but Shropshire Fostering allows people to make those big decisions with a huge safety net under them - continuous pay.
Unlike most agencies, Shropshire Fostering pays carers that can offer a placement the same continuous amount, whether they have a child in their care or not.
Ian Groom, marketing, recruitment and communications manager at Shropshire Fostering, said: “We know that the pandemic has changed how a lot of people feel about their lives and made them reconsider the direction they are going in. Fostering can be both a rewarding and life-changing experience for so many people.
“Often people want to give up work when they become foster carers, but they are worried about how they will manage financially. Our aim is to take this worry away from them, so they can relax in the knowledge that their new role will mean that, as long as they are able to offer a placement, they will receive continuous, regular payments – whether they have a foster child in their care, or they don’t.
“We are pretty unique in this respect, but we believe that by helping foster parents relax, and not worry about money, they can focus on the important part – providing the children in their care with a great experience.”
Living with a foster family can transform the lives of children that are in need of care, stability and safety. Becoming a carer can be a really positive experience – there may be highs and lows, but carers also have the knowledge that they are providing a child with the upbringing they need. However, there is an urgent need for more foster carers, to look after the estimated 60,000 children that are in need of support. It’s thought that 7,220 new foster carers are needed this year in England, and 550 in Wales.
“The number of looked after children here in Shropshire is increasing, and we have more need for foster carers going forward,” said Ian. “We want to be able to speak directly to future carers about the options that are available to them, without them feeling under pressure or even having to leave their own home. This is why we have created a virtual information event, so that people can find out more about fostering when they are ready, as it is available to view at any time.”
The virtual information event is packed with information and helps to answer some of the questions people have about fostering, such as who is eligible, the different types of fostering and the financial support available.
Ian added: “Foster carers come from all walks of life, they don’t need to have children of their own and can be married, single or in a same sex relationship. They need to fit certain criteria, such as being over the age of 21 and having a spare room, but we can go through this with anyone when they get in contact with us for a no-obligation chat.”
For more information and to access the virtual information event visit www.shropshirefostering.co.uk or call 0800 783 8798.
