Reasons why you should foster with Hampshire County Council Fostering Service

Children deserve to feel safe. They deserve to be cared for. They deserve the opportunity to work towards achieving their potential. They deserve to be happy. They deserve to have a stable home.

Hampshire County Council Fostering Service, the local fostering service for Hampshire County Council, has been working hard to reduce the number of children coming into care. In Hampshire, the gap between the number of children needing a loving home, and the number of foster carers available, continues to widen. For every child we can find a home, others are waiting.

That’s why we need your help. If you have the skills to foster and would like to find out more, we want to hear from you today

1

We value diversity

We welcome applicants from all walks of life and with our exceptionally talented recruitment and assessment team, Hampshire County Council Fostering Service are on hand to take you through the fostering journey at your own pace – answering every question you may have (or may not have even thought of yet).

2

We offer pioneering and unique LOCAL support

Once you become a foster carer, you will of course have the wonderful support of your social worker who will continue to help you throughout your journey. One of the extra benefits of fostering with Hampshire County Council Fostering Service are your access to the unique Hampshire Hive. The Hive are a dedicated support bubble for foster carers at a truly local level. Led by a designated Hive Carer Support Worker, it is made up of 10-15 foster families including birth children and the children they care for.

Hampshire County Council Fostering Service has over twenty hives across the county and with this unique level of fostering support, you will find you have regular access to guidance, and practical and emotional support right on your doorstep.

3

Our training and development is second to none

The training and development is second to none: Your development is important, which is why Hampshire County Council Fostering Service offer an extensive range of training courses that will help you when caring for children and aid your personal development. Our trainers are friendly and experienced, recognising the skills and knowledge you already have.

With a diverse package of training adaptable to different types of fostering, we will support you to curate your development plan, give you a clear focus on your learning, and help you map out the next steps of your fostering journey.

4

Careful consideration is given to matching the child(ren) to your family

Our recruitment team will work with you and your family to match the child's needs around your family's home environment, location and lifestyles to ensure that the child has a seamless transition into your care.

5

They provide financial support for you and your family

It may feel a little unnerving to talk about fostering in financial terms alongside the amazing and inspiring impact you will have on a foster child. Fostering can bring a consistent and regular income into your household – one that allows you to focus on fostering as a professional career. And with the current times, it really does enable a foster carer to offer the child a normal life with everyday experiences.

6

You will be celebrated and rewarded

Hampshire County Council Fostering Service value their foster carers and recognise that their outstanding and inspiring care provides stability to some of the most vulnerable children in the community. To reflect that, they regularly celebrate their carers. They host family fun days to bring together the fostering community and offer unforgettable experiences for foster children and birth children alike. They provide gifts for exceptional service, a thank you for outstanding support and formal events to honour long term foster carers. Hampshire County Council Fostering Service are always looking to ensure foster carers remain in the fore front of their minds and that they are honoured for brilliant work they do every day.

7

They allow YOU to make an amazing difference to a child’s life

Hampshire County Council Fostering Service could list 50 different reasons as to how becoming a foster carer fundamentally transforms and benefits a child’s life. Whether it is providing a child stability in a family dynamic or by supporting them to access education, helping children break from challenging home environments, or nurturing their emotional well-being; fostering is so very rarely a decision you will regret. It is a remarkable and inspiring role that fundamentally benefits children, your community and as seen from the list above - yourself.

If you ultimately do decide to foster, whether with Hampshire County Council Fostering Service or another organisation, remember you will be making an amazing and unparalleled difference to a child’s life.

8

You get access to perks and benefits

As a foster carer, you are entitled to a Blue Light Card – a membership that entitles you to dozens of discounts at major retailers and shops. With Hampshire County Council Fostering Service, you can enter loads of competitions for Amazon vouchers, free tickets to local attractions, and much more.

9

Hampshire children's services have an Outstanding Ofsted rating

Choosing to Foster with Hampshire Fostering you can be sure you’ll be working with the very best social workers and fostering professionals the county has to offer, and that children in foster care will receive the right welfare and protection they so desperately need.

Discover more about fostering with our information pack.

You can find out more about Hampshire County Council Fostering Service at www.hants.gov.uk/fostering or contact us via [email protected] or 01489 587052.

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