An exciting year in Wales
In Wales, The Fostering Network has a long history of high impact, successful programmes, bringing together a range of stakeholders for the benefit of children. Over four-fifths of the children in care who are looked after away from home and family are being looked after by foster carers, and our role in supporting those carers and advocating for them has never been more important.
Thank you
Being a foster carer can be challenging. But it's also one of the most important roles anyone can play. Foster carers in Wales offer support, stability, understanding, a listening ear and, of course, love, to over 4,000 fostered children and young people. You're amazing - and it's a privilege for us, at The Fostering Network, to be able to support you and your fostering services as you carry out this vital task day after day.
An exciting year
This year has been particularly exciting.
In 2015, as the lead organisation delivering Confidence in Care (a £4.75m project over five years, funded by the Big Lottery and delivered with TACT, Barnardo’s, Cardiff University and Action for Children) we have begun transforming the delivery of foster, kinship and residential care by improving confidence and skills of 1,500 carers with an evidence-based approach to care and peer support. The programme adds immense value to statutory provision and with robust evaluation will evidence how to successfully improve outcomes for children.
Along with the Association of Directors of social Services (ADSS), we have played a key leadership role in establishing the national framework in Wales.
Additionally, we have supported the Children's Social Care Research and Development Centre (CASCADE) in their report - Understanding the Educational Experiences and Opinions, Attainment, Achievement and Aspirations of Looked After Children in Wales – and we are delighted that it has informed the Welsh Government’s education strategy. The research, which included focus groups with looked after children conducted by The Fostering Network, reports issues at each stage of a young person’s educational journey such as those arising from stigma and placement and school instability.
Moving forwards
The Fostering Network Wales has received increased funding for the next three years from the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Social Services Third Sector Grant. This core funding demonstrates our ability to deliver transformational programmes to improve outcomes for fostered young people in Wales, and we look forward to working with ADSS, Welsh Local Government Association and other third sector partners to deliver these programmes at a national, regional and local level.
The funding allows us to continue supporting fostering families as they look after over 4,200 fostered children and young people every day. This support includes Fosterline Wales which provides a high quality, bi-lingual information and advice service to current and prospective foster carers and other professionals involved in fostering. We will also be supporting local authorities with the recruitment and retention of foster carers, helping to deliver the Foster Carers’ Charter in Wales, and establishing an ambassadors scheme for foster carers and fostered young people which will represent the voice of fostering across Wales. This funding will also allow us to bring The Fostering Network’s pioneering Fostering Achievement model to Wales, enabling foster carers, teachers and social workers to gain the skills, competence and confidence needed to help inspire and equip children to fulfil their potential.
If you would like to learn more about our work in Wales visit our website.
