Fostering Devon newsletter 09/03/2018

CiC Celebration Event - Fri 23 March 2018

Just to let you know that all letters and invitations have now been posted out to nominees and their parents/carers – if you know your child has been nominated but you haven’t received the letter/invitation by Fri 9 March, could you please contact kate.clarke@devon.gov.uk / 01392 384786 and she will get a copy sent. 

To help with the organisation of the event and for safeguarding purposes it is very important that you confirm your child / young person’s attendance, guest details (name & relationship to the child), any special dietary requirements or special access needs ASAP - email childrenincareawards-mailbox@devon.gov.uk or telephone Kate Clarke on 01392 384786, many thanks.

The Children in Care Choir is looking for more members!

This new initiative is bringing together children and young people in care who love to sing. Rehearsals have been arranged in three different locations across Devon (Ivybridge, Exeter and Barnstaple) over the next few weeks in preparation for the first concert where the choir will sing at the Devon Children in Care Awards Evening on Friday 23rd March at St James High School, Exeter. The songs being rehearsed include: Count On Me (Bruno Mars), Rather Be (Clean Bandits), Fields of Gold (Eva Cassidy) and Somewhere Only We Know. If you would like to be involved, please get in touch with ken.parr@babcockinternational.com or Kate.Clarke@devon.gov.uk

Rehearsals are as follows:

South/West Devon: Stowford School, PL21 0BG, 27 Feb & 14 March 4.30 – 5.30 in the Music Room

East Devon: Isca School, EX2 6AP, 6 March & 20 March 4.30 – 5.30

North Devon: Newport Community School, EX32 9BW, 13 March & 21 March 4.30 – 5.30 in the Courtyard 

Children are welcome to attend the rehearsal venue which is most convenient but please let us know so that we know who to expect.

For more information on the event itself, go to: https://new.devon.gov.uk/educationandfamilies/young-people/children-in-care/children-in-care-awards

The Training Flat 

What is The Training Flat I hear you say? - The Fostering Service in Exeter have a Training Flat based in Newton Abbot which can be used by 16+ year olds who want to experience independent living whilst remaining with their current carers. It is a fully furnished 1 bedroom dwelling in the Newton Abbot area (TQ12 2LW.) The Training Flat is a resource available to young people who are preparing for independence but cannot be used as emergency accommodation.

Who’s it for? - It’s for  young people who are approaching a time in their life when they need to be considering moving on to independence. Young people can stay in the Training Flat for a period of between 1 and 3 weeks as part of the young person’s preparation for independence.

What the Training Flat can offer a young person:

- The opportunity to experience independent living in a safe setting (with support from a pre-arranged support package and within a realistic financial budget, determined by current benefit levels).

-  The opportunity to work on and strengthen key areas of independent living skills e.g. budgeting, self-care, cooking, cleaning, healthy lifestyle, training, employment, education etc.

- Time to consider the emotional aspects of independent living, to think about their support networks and how to use their time.

Whilst living in the training flat the young person would get support from their social workers, personal advisors and family practitioners (or whoever is involved with the young person).

The Training Flat is run day to day by John and Lorraine Witt (they are foster carers themselves) . They are both heavily involved in supporting the young people when they are in the training flat and will encourage the young people to complete Practical Housing Units when in the Flat.

If any of this is unclear, please feel free to contact Craig Davies on 07970754006 or craig.davies@devon.gov.uk -  I work for the Fostering Service in the Exeter and DYPAS (Devon Young People’s Accommodation Service) and I support our amazing carers and brilliant young people.  For flyer, please click here.