An appeal for more foster carers has been made by Derbyshire County Council to help look after more than 900 children in its care – including many set to experience their first Christmas in care.
Children of all ages and abilities are in need of foster care homes and the county council is urging people who could offer a loving, stable home to get in touch to find out how they could change children’s lives.
There are many different types of fostering opportunities with the council which fit around work, family and different lifestyles
Prospective foster carers receive ongoing support throughout the assessment process plus training, benefits and a competitive package of financial support once they are approved
Foster carers do not need any special qualifications, they just need to:
- Be aged 21 or over with no upper age limit
- Have a spare room – or space in their bedroom for a cot for children aged up to two
- Go through a few initial checks before they are assessed
- Have some experience of caring for children.
Foster carers can be single or in a relationship, married or in a civil partnership, LGBT+, any ethnicity, race, culture or religion, working or not, and either rent or own their own home.
Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and Safeguarding, Councillor Julie Patten, said: “Giving children the best possible start in life is one of our key priorities and sometimes that involves offering children and families who may need it a helping hand to get through a difficult time.
“Children in our care have had a difficult start in life and we’re looking for people who can provide a loving, stable home.
“If you think you could change a child’s life, we’d really like to hear from you. There’s lots of information on our website about becoming a foster carer or you can call our friendly fostering team.”
People can find out more about fostering for Derbyshire County Council and apply at derbyshire.gov.uk/fostering or call 0800 083 77 44.
Residents can also sign up to the county council’s ‘all about fostering’ email bulletins at derbyshire.gov.uk/fosteringbulletins