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recruitment and retention
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Exit interviews - your views needed
Michelle, who is running our Foster Carer Retention project is aiming to find out why foster carers stop fostering and what can be done to address some of the common factors behind the decison to leave the role.
Foster Carer Retention Project
Get involved
The first stage of the project was to gather exit interview experiences of people who are, or have been, employed outside of fostering. Thank you to those who took the survey, your feedback is very much appreciated.
Project overview
This project will support fostering services to:
Foster Care Fortnight 2018 review
Thank you to everyone who got involved in Foster Care Fortnight 2018.
Millions of people were reached with the #proudtofoster and #proudtosupportfostering message via social media, and the campaign received almost 900 pieces of media coverage.
BBC NI Appeal: Dianne's Story
Foster carer Dianne features in our new BBC appeal that aired on Northern Ireland television today. The film called for more people to consider fostering and change the lives of more children in care.
BBC NI Appeal: Joseph's story
Joseph is a 23-year-old care leaver who features in The Fostering Network’s new BBC appeal calling for more people to consider becoming foster carers. The appeal will air in Northern Ireland on BBC One at 3.45pm during Community Life.
Children who foster activity day and attachment training
Supporting and thanking the sons and daughters of foster carers is a key aspect of the work of any fostering service and The Fostering Network.
Men who care
For many children in care living with a male foster carer will be their first positive experience of an adult male, giving them the chance to explore the formation of trusting relationships and having contact with men who understand their needs.
Thousands of men are foster carers in the UK, either as part of a couple or as single carers. Yet many men are deterred from becoming foster carers because it has traditionally been perceived as a female profession, and men are often considered not to want to work with children.
Recruitment and retention resources
Free resources
Needs analysis template
Created by the Department for Education and The Fostering Network, the needs analysis template is the starting point for all fostering services to inform a recruitment and retention strategy.
Recruitment and retention research
Benchmark reports
The Fostering Service Benchmark report 2015/16
The fostering service benchmark reports, carried out over three years, provide statistical insight into the performance of fostering services in England. The information within the reports can be used by any service to compare performance against national averages for recruiting and retaining foster carers.
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