Rotherham Council has seen a 200 percent jump in enquiries from people who are interested in becoming foster carers in the last six months, compared to the same period in 2019.
The Council predicts there will be a further 30 new Rotherham residents who will become new foster carers by March next year, which is a direct result of a year-long local campaign - Fostering Rotherham, which aims to encourage more people to consider fostering.
Strategic Director for Children and Young People’s Services, Suzanne Joyner said: “We've been successful in increasing the number of enquiries about fostering over the last six months, despite the challenges of Covid-19. This is a real testament to the strong community spirit in Rotherham and the way that people support each other.
“The children who need foster care come from all walks of life and backgrounds, so it’s vital that our foster carers do too. Regardless of marital status, religion, sexual orientation or employment status, if you can provide a safe, loving home for a child when they need it the most, we want to hear from you.”
The increase in applications has been boosted by local people who have been interested in fostering for a while, but have recently found themselves working from home, furloughed, or unemployed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. For many, now was the right time to make the call.
An estimated 1.4 million people are now unemployed according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), a number which, sadly, is likely to increase. Many people are now taking the time to reflect and consider that providing a safe and nurturing home for children as a viable and stable life change. Fostering Rotherham is also able to provide an excellent financial and support package to its carers.
According to the Fostering Network, every day 55,000 foster families across the UK are offering 65,000 children and young people a stable and nurturing home, and this commitment from foster families is ongoing during the coronavirus outbreak.
Janet, a Rotherham foster carer, said; “As a community of carers, we have learned to talk on Zoom and other media, we have walked, we have answered a million questions, we have calmed fears around the virus, we have supported each other.”
Another carer, Samantha, said: “It’s something we always wanted to do as a family and when our youngest was settled in full time school we thought that the time was right. Many children and young people are needing a loving, secure, stable home, and no matter what is going on in the world our children still need this more than ever.”
Right from the application process all foster carers receive support, advice, and extensive training from the Fostering Team at the council to equip them with the key skills they need to be a great foster carer.
Steph, a newly approved Rotherham foster carer, said: “In the short time we have been foster carers, we have gained a wealth of knowledge to help us care for children. This is due to lots of free courses being available to us and the support we receive from a fantastic team around us. It feels like one big family and there's always someone there to help and give you advice if you need it”.
Councillor Gordon Watson, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Children's Services & Neighbourhood Working, praised the work of all local foster carers but highlighted that the work to find more carers is on-going and more important than ever: “All our foster carers are incredible, but we still urgently need more of the stable and caring foster homes for the children and young people in our care, on both a short-term and long-term basis.
“Foster carers come from all walks of life, each with different skills and experiences so please don’t rule yourself out, whatever your age, background or circumstances. Please get in touch via www.fosteringrotherham.com or by calling Rotherham Council if you think you could make a difference to a local child’s future.”