Brent Council puts out a call for new foster carers to avoid Covid-19 disruption to children

From Brent Council

We are calling out for new foster carers to join us in Brent to ensure we have enough homes for the children who need us most.

Whilst the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic is having an impact on us all, some things do not change - our local, vulnerable children still need caring families to look after them.

Anyone who lives in Brent or a neighbouring authority and meets these five basic requirements can apply to foster with us:

1.         Over 21 years old (there is no upper age limit)

2.         Have indefinite leave to remain in the UK

3.         Have available living space: space for a cot in the bedroom to foster babies (0-2 years-old), or a spare room in the house to accommodate older children

4.         Live in Brent or the neighbouring boroughs so that travelling for foster care purposes is easy for you and your foster children

5.         Enjoy spending time with children, and be loving, kind, open-minded and inclusive.

Applicants will undergo an online assessment consisting of virtual meetings and visits, aimed at keeping them and their families safe and protected. Given the urgent need for foster carers, the application process, which normally lasts between 4 and 6 months, can be fast-tracked in certain circumstances.

Cllr Patel said:

We need to make sure that we have enough carers to deal with the challenges posed by Covid-19 and that throughout, our children have someone to look after them. They have experienced disruption before and we do not want them to go through this again. There are lots of caring people in Brent who have what it takes to foster and we hope to see some of them step up to help vulnerable children during this challenging time.

Anyone who is interested in fostering is encouraged to speak to our team directly by calling 0800 001 4041. There is a social worker at the other end of the line from Monday to Friday, between 9am and 5pm. 

Alternatively, to find out more about fostering and to check the support and rewards package, please visit brent.gov.uk/fostering.

'Foster carers are already professionals, it's time they were treated as such,' GMB union tells select committee

GMB Foster carers who are members of the GMB union met with MPs today to demand proper recognition for dedicated members who look after vulnerable children.

Rachel Harrison, GMB lead officer on Foster Care, gave evidence to the Fostering Inquiry at a Select Committee.

The delegation of carers also met Labour MPs following the hearing, including Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell.

Disturbing new figures show just 42% of foster carers felt their allowance met the full cost of looking after fostered children.

This compares to 80% in 2014, showing huge cuts in local government funding are badly hurting our foster carers.

GMB foster carers made the following demands:

· Nationwide standards and funding

Foster carers have vastly different experiences across the country - there needs to be a more consistent approach to foster care

· Professional recognition and respect

A lot is expected of foster carers, with increasing demand and fewer local government resources. Only a third (32%) felt that children's social workers treated them as equal.

· A national register of foster carers

This would allow for foster carers to look after children from other areas, cut red tape, remove local barriers, provide greater stability and save on costs of private care.

Figures from the Fostering Network show 49% of foster carers did not have an agreed training plan for the next year and 75% of those who had taken a child from outside their approval range received no additional training or support.

Rachel Harrison, GMB Lead Officer for Foster Carers said:

We're proud to be the union to represent foster carers. 

These people give their all to look after the most vulnerable children in society and it was vital we got across to MPs today the challenges faced by our members and how we can work with others to push for improvements in the foster care system, for the benefit of both the children and carers.

Colleen Callaghan, Foster Carer and GMB member, said:

It was fantastic to see MPs listening to our trade union really represent foster carers and give us the opportunity to tell it like it is - explaining to politicians what's needed to improve foster care in this country, for us and the children we care for. 

It was a welcome opportunity to see how politics can actually relate to us and hopefully change things for the better.