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Welcome to our November edition of Fostering News. In this newsletter you can learn more about our wonderful carer support groups we have in the county and find out about some upcoming foster carer training that you still have time to book onto!
Across the county, our foster carers meet up on a monthly basis to share experiences and support one another through their fostering journeys. These are welcoming and friendly groups open to all Nottinghamshire County Council approved carers.
Newark foster carers' support group
Meets monthly at Church of Promise, Newark NG24 2AA.
Upcoming dates:
Friday 29 November 10-12noon
Friday 13 December 5-7pm (which is a Christmas party for all the family!)
Please contact Lesley at lesley@ao-bc.com if you wish to learn more.
The Central Team
Meets on the last Wednesday of the month 9.30am – 12noon (term-time only) at The Ashwood Centre, Kirkby in Ashfield.
If you would like any more information about support groups in your area then please speak to your supervising social worker.
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Have you logged on to our training portal lately? There are some great training courses coming up with availability to book. These include:
Foster Care - Preparing Looked After Children for Independence
On 14 January 2020
Foster Carer - Safeguarding Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation
On numerous dates, including some Saturdays, from January 2020 onwards
Foster Carers - Drug Awareness (including New Psychoactive Substances)
On 16 January 2020
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The subject of body piercings was raised at a recent Children in Care Council meeting, “No Labels”, to clarify the Council’s guidance on looked after children being able to get piercings.
Despite many piercing salons imposing their own age restrictions for body piercings, there is no legal age restriction for any kind of piercing in England and Wales.
Online the advice varies; some say there is no age limit and others say the minimum age for piercing is 14. So it therefore appears to be down to the individual salon as to whether they ask for written consent from a parent/ guardian - and some will ask that a parent/guardian is also present - so a foster carer could attend if required.
The salon and foster carers will probably apply the “are they competent to make their own decision?” rule when a child wishes to have a piercing.
If a looked after child was on a care order and has meaningful contact with their parents then we would usually suggest they discuss with their parents too.
Looked after children do not need to wait until they are 16 - this isn’t policy, it’s not legislation and it’s not on delegated authority.
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Do you currently support any looked after children or care leavers aged 16+ who may be interested in a career in the aviation sector?
East Midlands Airport will be holding an employment briefing, as part of the care leavers package, to show what job opportunities are available at the airport and to show our looked after children what their first step into a long-term aviation career could be.
This will be held on Tuesday 19 November 2019 - 10:00am-12:30pm at the Airport Academy Building, East Midlands Airport - DE74 2SA.
If you have any young people in placement who might be interested then please let their social worker or personal adviser know.
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A warm welcome to Nicola Hardy who has joined the North Team as the new team manager following the retirement of Sandra Warner last month.
After 38 years, our wonderful Short Breaks carers, Lillian & Tony Britton, have retired from the fostering service. For many years they ran a monthly support group for both county and city Home from Home carers (our carers who care for disabled young people.) They fund raised extensively and took many children out on wonderful trips.
After an equally impressive 31 years of fostering, Cath & Stuart Gullen have also decided to retire. The Gullen’s actively supported the fostering service at training and recruitment events, as well as offering buddy visits to prospective foster carers. Cath was awarded an MBE in the 2017 honours list for her services to children.
We wish both sets of carers a very happy and well earned retirement!
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The foster carers' survey is now open for your feedback!
Your feedback is so important to us and really does help to shape the future of the service so please take a few minutes to complete it.
To say thank you, you’ll be entered into a competition to win a family ticket for five people to see the Sleeping Beauty pantomime at Nottingham Playhouse!
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