News

The Fostering Network welcomes the publication of the Care Quality Commission’s report, Not Seen, Not Heard. The report is based on the Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) review of the health care aspects of children’s services in England, and in particular how health services in a local authority area work together to provide early help to children in need and how they improve the health and wellbeing of looked after children.

Kevin Williams, chief executive of The Fostering Network, said in response to the publication of the care leavers strategy Keep on Caring in England: “The Government in Westminster has set out ambitious but practical goals for supporting care leavers on their journey from care to independence in their care leavers strategy, Keep on Caring. These are warmly welcomed by The Fostering Network, and we believe the strategy can make a significant positive difference to the future lives of care leavers as they make the transition into adulthood.

The Fostering Network welcomes the publication of the Department for Education's Putting Children First: Delivering our Vision for Excellent Children’s Social Care, and in particular, we fully support the recommendation for a stocktake of foster care.

The Fostering Network welcomes the publication of the report The Impact of Unproven Allegations on foster carers by the University of Oxford’s Rees Centre.

Dr Emily Warren, director of The Fostering Network in Wales, said: ‘We are aspirational for all children, and we want to celebrate the successes, educational or otherwise, of children who grow up living in foster care.

In response to the publication of Sir Martin Narey’s independent review of children’s residential care in England, Kevin Williams, chief executive of The Fostering Network, said: 'The Fostering Network welcomes the publication of this review, and we believe it is a positive addition to the wider discussion on how to provide stability for young people living within the care system.

Earlier this week Margaret Ritchie, MP for South Down, met with Glen and Regina Mahon from Downpatrick, County Down, who have been fostering for 15 years and were recently named Foster Carers of the Year by leading charity, The Fostering Network, to discuss foster care in Northern Ireland. The conversation focused particularly on their experiences of foster care, and the benefits well supported foster care can bring to the community.

Sara Lurie, director of The Fostering Network in Scotland, said: ‘The Fostering Network welcomes the continued improvement in academic achievement by looked after children in Scotland, as indicated in the Scottish Government’s report released this week.

We would like to congratulate seven members of The Fostering Network who have recently received Birthday honours.

Mr John Palczynski, Mrs Wendy Palczynski, Mrs Carol Ann Smallworth, Mr Raymond Michael Smallworth and Mrs Deloris Collett all received MBEs for services to children and families. Mrs Anne Staniforth and Mr James Howard Staniforth also received a BEM for services to children and families.

You can view the full list of those who received honours on the Government’s website.

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The Fostering Network’s innovative Education Champions have recently been praised for their positive impact in an external evaluation report. The evaluation recommended that the Champion role, created as part of the London Fostering Achievement (LFA) programme, should be implemented more widely and The Fostering Network is delighted to be seeking services to partner with to develop this further and raise the educational outcomes and aspirations of looked after children.