Simply Fostering News
September 2015
Asylum – Refugee Crisis – Kent
The rise in the number of refugees and children asylum seekers are putting social services in Kent under strain and struggling to cope. Numbers of young, unaccompanied minors have more than doubled in the last year as the migrant crisis escalates. The council has appealed for urgent help with funding and for help to find foster homes for these children in other areas of the country where there is space.
According to independent agency Compass Fostering, whose referrals of young asylum seekers have increased to 140 this month, most of the children are from Syria and Iraq, and the majority are boys. The managing director, Bernie Gibson, spoke about the need for more foster carers around the country, and how the focus should now be on the rights of the children.
Home for Good Appeal Launches
Following an appeal for families to become foster carers for refugee children, a fostering charity has received over 9,000 volunteers in just 5 days. The Home for Good fostering charity launched the appeal following David Cameron’s pledge to take 20,000 refugees in the next five years. The founder of Home for Good, Krish Kandiah, was overwhelmed by the response following his appeal, which has been backed by celebrities on Twitter including footballers Mark Wright and Neville Southall. The charity works to raise awareness of the need of foster and adoptive parents through the Church.
Shortage of Foster Carers in Cardiff
A campaign to recruit more foster carers in Cardiff is about to be launched by the council to bring back children from Cardiff who are in foster homes outside the city. The shortfall of 200 foster carers means that some children are living in foster placements that are up to 200 miles away in the North West of England. According to research, children are more likely to return to their family home if they keep links with family, friends and school. There is also a large financial cost to the council when they place children outside the area.
Higher Payment Rate for Specialist Foster Carers
West Sussex County Council has announced that it will pay a higher rate to foster carers who support parent and child foster placements. It is part of a campaign to find people with ‘specialist skills’ who can offer a foster home to a parent and their child. This type of fostering involves providing support to the parent whilst they look after their child and become more independent. The foster carer will need to liaise with professionals and attend court hearings as well as taking detailed notes throughout the placement. The rate of pay will be £724 per week and the council hopes this will encourage people who have the necessary skills to consider fostering a parent and child as a full time job.
