 Welcome to our August edition of Fostering News! The summer holidays are here and in this edition you can find out about free holiday activities. We also have the minutes from the July FLAG meeting and as usual some great training opportunities. Happy reading!
Eligible children and young people in Nottinghamshire can take part in the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, a free holiday club, over the school summer break.
The programme offers activities in August for 5-16 year olds eligible for free school meals across the county, as well as an offer for vulnerable children, and a tailored offer for young people with special educational needs and disabilities.
Activities includes sport, art, music, and more. All children and young people who attend one of the activities will get a free healthy and nutritious meal and can also take part in interactive ways to learn more about healthy eating. The sessions will give young people the chance to learn new skills and to have fun with friends during the summer holiday period.
There are lots of activities for young people to attend in person now that coronavirus restrictions have eased, but there is also a ‘Holiday Activities and Food at Home’ offer for those that can’t, or don’t wish to, attend in person. Children and families, or professionals can still sign up for HAF at Home.
|
Last month we held our second virtual FLAG meeting and you can find the minutes via the link below. A big thank you to all those carers who managed to attend, we had a really good turn out! The next meeting will also be held virtually as it remains the safest way for us to meet in large numbers. It will be on Monday, 4 October 2021 at 7pm and we’ll share the link for the TEAMS meeting in next month’s Fostering News bulletin.
A couple of things came out of the meeting which have been addressed as follows:
A carer asked if adoptive parents are given training in relation to the role of the foster carer in the adoption process; Shelagh Mitchel, group manager for East Midlands Adoption, has confirmed they are, and encouraged our foster carers to come forward should they wish to be involved with further development of this training i.e. contributing to a short video or compiling a do’s and don’ts list. If you would like to contribute in some way then please email Sophie Eadsforth: sophie.eadsforth@nottscc.gov.uk.
Another question from the meeting was in relation to savings accounts for looked after children. Matt Wesson and Rachel Stimson, CSMs for the Looked after and Leaving Care Services have explained that it is not easy setting up a bank account for a child as the carer has to set the bank account up in their name and then it is difficult to transfer the account to a new carer. Instead they have been encouraging carers to set up a Share Foundation ISA -details can be found here - Make a contribution — The Share Foundation
Further information about the Share Foundation can be found on the government website - Child Trust Fund: Accounts for children in care - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
|
Mansfield Education Hub still have spaces available for their 16 - 19 Study Programme which will be starting from the end of this month, 31 August.
There is time available for young people to visit Mansfield Education Hub W/C 16 August. Visits are great opportunities to meet the team and look around the learning hub. This can help young people make informed decisions about their futures and alleviate anxieties they may have about transitioning to further education.
If you would like to book a visit or chat about the provision, please contact them on:
☎️ 01156848375
📲 07912295656
💻 C.Winson@barnsley.ac.uk
Their programme focusses on personal development, community projects and employability skills. Qualifications include GCSE English Language and Mathematics/ Functional Skills English and Maths and L1 AIM Award in Employability.
|
Please log into My Learning My Career to book your place on the following courses.
Child Sexual Exploitation
This course is split into 4 virtual training events. Attending all 4 events will provide an in depth understanding of CSE indicators and risks, grooming models including the use of the internet, and equips participants with the knowledge and confidence to manage disclosures and suspicions of CSE effectively and in accordance with Safeguarding procedures.
-
NSCP Child Sexual Exploitation 1 – Recognising & Responding to CSE
- Thursday 30 September 2021, 9.30 – 12.00
-
NSCP Child Sexual Exploitation 2– Tackling CSE Effectively
- Friday 8 October 2021, 9.30-12.00
-
NSCP Child Sexual Exploitation 3 – Trauma & Specialist Support
- Monday 1 November 2021, 9.30-11.30
-
NSCP Child Sexual Exploitation 4– Grooming and the Police’s Role
- Thursday 4 November 2021, 9.30-12.00
Child Criminal Exploitation
This course is split into two virtual events. Attending both events will : raise your awareness around contextual safeguarding issues, consider the different types of CCE including County Lines, how to recognise indicators of CCE, understand the impact it has on both the child/young person ,as well as parents/carers and at the same time consider the guidance and procedures to follow if you have concerns including useful CCE tools.
NSCP Child Criminal Exploitation1 - Tackling CCE Effectively. Level 3
- Wednesday 3 November 2021. 9.30-12.00
NSCP Child Criminal Exploitation 2 - CCE, County Lines and the Police. Level 3
- Wednesday 10 November 2021. 9.30-11.00
We are currently offering a £250 payment to any of our foster carers who successfully refer a family member or friend to the recruitment team who then goes on to be approved at panel. You can either send us their contact details and we will be happy to get in touch or you can sign post them to us. Please see the bottom of this email for our contact details.
Upcoming recruitment events (currently being held via Microsoft TEAMS) are:
|
