Blogs

For anyone who is thinking about being a foster carer the question of whether they would be willing to look after a child with significant special needs is a question they will have to grapple with. For some it will be an easy answer – they may have experience with their birth children or in the workplace of working with children with special needs; but for others it will take more thinking through. What is clear is that with the number of children who need a foster family growing – around 70 per cent of whom have special needs - and with the increasing need for more foster families (The Fostering Network has released figures reporting that 9,070 new foster families are needed in 2016), the question of whether or not a prospective foster carer feels they have the skills and qualities needed to look after a child with special needs is becoming ever more important.

The sun is out and the birds are singing, and The Fostering Network continues campaigning with a spring in our step.

It’s a beautiful, sunny Wednesday morning. We’re suited and booted and on our way to panel to be approved as foster carers. We’re meeting Stef (our Form F assessor) at a café near to where the panel is taking place, to have a little run through the potential questions we can expect. As someone who has served on the panel, I have a view on the questions I might have asked us if the roles were reversed. And I have a plan.

Recently I was asked to contribute to a workshop on fostering teenagers, of which I’ve had quite a bit of experience. I thought it might be useful to share some of it, especially if you haven’t had much experience of this age group.