Foster Wales urging employers to become ‘fostering friendly’

Every day in Wales, five children find themselves in need of foster care. As families across the country grapple with the ongoing cost of living crisis, Foster Wales is urging employers to become ‘fostering friendly’.

This initiative aims to dispel the misconception that you cannot continue working if you become a foster carer.

This Foster Care Fortnight (15th-28th May), Local Authority fostering services in Wales are calling on the wider business community to lend their support.

The goal is to make it easier for their employees to combine fostering and working.

According to the Fostering Network, the UK’s leading fostering charity, nearly 40% of foster carers combine fostering with other work.

Their ‘fostering friendly’ policy encourages employers to provide flexibility and time off for employees who are prospective foster carers and are going through the application process.

The scheme also supports employees who are already foster carers, allowing time off for training, attendance at panels, to settle a new child into their home, and to respond to any emergencies which may arise.

Having the support of an employer may make the vital difference in the decision of an employee to become a foster carer.

Caroline Carding, a Foster Carer with Foster Wales Flintshire for 13 years, has been able to fit fostering into her life and continue to work for the Local Authority at the same time.

She said, “I feel lucky to be employed by an organisation who is ‘Fostering Friendly’. Flintshire County Council offers me the flexibility to work and also fulfil my role as a foster carer, which I have enjoyed doing for 13 years. It makes such a difference.”

Cllr Christine Jones, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Social Services and Wellbeing, echoed this sentiment, stating, “Reaching out to local employers to be fostering friendly is one of many things we are doing to support our foster carers in Flintshire. ”

“To fit with life and work commitments, we also offer flexible learning opportunities for foster carers.”

Head of Foster Wales, Alastair Cope, added, “As the need for foster carers continues to grow, we need our community in Wales to step up.”

“We know that when children stay connected, stay local and have someone to stick by them for the long term, we see better outcomes.”

To find out more about becoming a foster carer in Flintshire, visit: www.fosterwales.flintshire.gov.uk

To learn more about becoming a fostering friendly employer in Wales, visit:

https://fosterwales.gov.wales/fostering-friendly-employers-in-wales/