Fostering News for foster carers

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Fostering News

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Welcome to our August edition of Fostering News. In this newsletter we have a message from Councillor Kay Cutts, Leader of Nottinghamshire County Council. We also have updates on the exciting launch of our updated payments for foster carers as well as new benefits such as the Max Card and free Inspire Learning courses, plus service updates and dates for your diary including 2019’s Son’s and Daughter’s Appreciation Day and a joint carer and staff conference in September.

A message from the Leader of the Council, Kay Cutts

CounKayCutts

"As a valued Foster Carer I know many of you will have been moved by the recent Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse which has been a stain our council’s history. Like me, you will have been shocked and horrified by its contents. I wish to assure you that I remain focused on learning from the report findings and will make sure I implement its recommendations.

You continue to play a vital role in caring for some of the most vulnerable children in our care. I wish to thank you for your continued dedication and commitment to the welfare of Nottinghamshire children. Clearly, this report may have given you cause for concern which I understand entirely. It is of course, more important than ever that we provide safe and secure environments for our children who need care the most. If you have specific concerns resulting from the report please do get in contact with enquiries@nottscc.gov.uk."

Enhanced payments for our foster carers

All carers should have all received an email from the Project’s Team last month notifying them of the updated and enhanced levels payments that have recently been approved by committee. These were implemented from Monday 5 August 2019. If you did miss it, the briefing email with the full details is on the carers website.

Read more

Free Inspire courses for our carers

Inspire

We are very excited to inform carers that they can now access free courses hosted by Inspire Learning at libraries and local venues across the county. There is a wide range of subjects to choose from including functional skills, work skills and family learning. Go to the website to browse the new course brochure, inform Inspire that you are an NCC foster carer upon making a booking to receive your discount.

Visit the website

MAX Cards

MAX Card

Max Card is the UK’s leading discount initiative for looked-after children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The card provides children and families free or discounted access to thousands of venues across the UK. Offers include discounted breaks for families, Merlin Entertainment, Dine Club , Drayton Manor, Sea Life, Virgin Experience Days and GO Ape. All venues offer a discount of their choice from free entry up to 50% off general admission.

If you would like one, please email the Recruitment & Assessment team on fostering@nottscc.gov.uk with your name, the name of your supervising social worker and you will be sent one.

Dates for your diary

Sons and Daughters appreciation day

This year’s Son’s and Daughter’s Appreciation Day will be on 21st August 2019 at the Holme Pierrepont National Watersports Centre. This event is open to all foster carers birth and adopted children aged 8 – 18.  If your child would like to join us then please email fostering@nottscc.gov.uk. The official closing date for the event was 16th July however we will try and accommodate any late requests for spaces where possible.

 

We are excited to announce our upcoming Fostering Conference which will be for all staff and foster carers jointly. It will be on Wednesday 18th September 2019 from 9.30am – 3.15pm, at Civic Quarter (Civic Centre) Chesterfield Road South, Mansfield NG19 7BH. Sir John Timpson CBE (pictured) will be our guest speaker and there will be a choice of informative workshops to attend throughout the remainder of  the day and you will be contacted for your preferences.  Lunch and refreshments will be provide and there is some free parking on site. Please book via My Learning – booking for this event is now open.  We look forward to seeing you all there!

John Timpson

Upcoming recruitment events

From September, we will be holding monthly information evenings across the county. These are always well attended by our foster carer community and enquirers are always eager to speak to carers about the realities of fostering. If you would like to support us at one of these events then please email us at fostering@nottscc.gov.uk

If you haven’t already, please like our Facebook page and feel free to share any of our posts within your own Facebook community. 

Fostering Liaison Advisory Group (FLAG)

Foster carer Julie Harrison has recently been elected as the new Chair for FLAG.

If you are unsure what FLAG is or whether it is something you would like to be involved in, Julie has written a short article explaining how the meetings take shape and giving the upcoming dates. All foster carers are welcome to come along to these quarterly meetings to raise important issues within the fostering community and get updates about local and national practice from the fostering service manager and the service director.

Read about FLAG

Fostering staff updates

The new Recruitment and Assessment team has been developed to increase our levels of recruitment and promote our training programme throughout the county. The team consists of Rochelle Wallace (Team Manager), Prue Oakden and Charlottes Jones (Fostering Support Officers) and Elaine Mills (Recruitment and Projects Officer). We also offer a warm welcome to two new supervising social workers, Richard Hill and Alleyshia Thomas who joined the team on the 5th August 2019. Jemma Early, supervising social worker from the Central Team will also join the Recruitment and Assessment team part-time as a new training co-ordinator alongside our current training co-ordinator Hyacinth Buxton.  

After 30+ years Valda Murray, supervising social worker for the Central Team, has retired from the fostering service. Sandra Warner, team manager for the North Team will also be retiring in September. We wish them both a long and happy retirement.

Fostering's Got Talent 2019

FGT

This year saw NCC host the fourth annual Fostering’s Got Talent show. It was a brilliant night and everyone who attended had a fabulous time. We are already looking forward to next year’s talent show and hope to see even more of our fostering community participating and supporting the event so that it continues to grow each year.

Read Fostering's Got Talent review

Reminder: foster carers ID badges

As mentioned in the previous newsletter, we are re-issuing all carers with the up to date green foster carer ID badge. If you don’t have an ID badge or have an old white one, please get in touch with your supervising social worker and  they will arrange for your badge to be issued. Your ID badge will help you access our countywide foster carer benefits including the new Inspire Learning courses.

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