Hampshire County Council’s annual Foster Focus Week (24-30 October) is a regional celebration highlighting the unique and important role foster carers play, as well as offering the opportunity for Hampshire residents to find out more about fostering at a series of in-person and virtual information events running throughout the week. This year’s campaign particularly seeks to break down perceived barriers to fostering, such as sexual orientation and relationship status.
Councillor Roz Chadd, Deputy Leader of Hampshire County Council and Executive Lead Member for Children’s Services, said: “We are always in need of more people to join our incredible fostering community.
“There may be people out there who are interested in fostering but, for whatever reason, have discounted themselves. The one message I would like people to hear in Foster Focus Week is that anyone can become a foster carer - whatever their ethnicity, sexuality, relationship status or religious beliefs. There is no upper age limit and people don’t need to own their own homes.
“Others might feel they don’t have the time or skills to foster. However, there are lots of different types of fostering arrangements that can work around people’s commitments, and all foster carers receive extensive training and ongoing support, as well as allowances for those they care for. Providing they are aged 21 and above, have a spare room and plenty of patience, resilience, open-mindedness and positivity, we want to hear from them.”
Throughout the week-long campaign, Fostering Hampshire Children – part of Children’s Services at Hampshire County Council - will be sharing information and stories from foster carers from all walks of life.
Lisa and Charley’s story
Lisa and her wife Charley began fostering in 2014 and have a range of experience in caring for children of all ages, both long-term and short-term. The same sex couple from Gosport also recently started offering mother and baby placements. Lisa said: “When I met my wife, one of our early conversations was around how she would like to foster one day. A few years later, a young person who my wife taught had a family crisis over Christmas and was looked after by a number of foster carers over the two-week period. The difficult experience for this young person is what sparked the conversation of fostering again and eight years later, here we are.
“There are many reasons why we continue to foster, it can be very challenging and a lot of hard work but ultimately, the positives always outweigh the negatives. We love the stability that we can provide to a child. We love the excitement a new arrival brings to the family home but most of all, we love the growth we see in the children we care for; they all make an impact on us as carers and as a family.”
Orlanda’s story
Orlanda from the New Forest is a single foster carer and has been looking after two children on a long-term basis since 2016. She said: “Being a single carer with family and friends that are spread all over the place, it has been challenging on my own, but having the support of other foster parents has been invaluable as we all constantly learn from each other….fostering is so rewarding and I know many of the carers have similar experiences and feelings and there are moments, where your heart will just burst with pride for the bravery and successes of the children you look after.”
Ben’s story
Ben from Basingstoke has been a foster carer for over seven years, mainly looking after teenagers in both long-term and short-term placements, as well as caring for children out of hours. He works regularly with his local church – Gateway Basingstoke – alongside Home for Good, a Christian charity aiming to make fostering a significant part of the life and ministry of the UK church community.
He said: “We have had 17 children come to live with us. Some have stayed overnight and some for years. We have gained from every single one of them and I would like to think we have made a difference in all their lives. We continue to love what we do; every single child brings with them a new experience and new hope for what we can provide for them.
“Outside of work I can be found in church or involved in projects led by my church. It is a privilege to combine my fostering work with my church community at Gateway Basingstoke. Gateway is already so supportive of us as foster parents and is a reassuring and encouraging presence throughout the ups and downs of being a foster carer.”
Hampshire residents interested in fostering with the County Council are encouraged to come along to one of the following face-to-face or virtual events throughout Foster Focus Week to find out more:
- Sunday 23 October, 9am to 4pm – Blue Light Day at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu
- Monday 24 October, 9am to 4pm – Marwell Zoo
- Tuesday 25 October, 9am to 4pm – Meet the Chamber & Business Exhibition, Basingstoke College of Technology
- Tuesday 25 October, 7pm to 8.30pm – Virtual Information Session
- Wednesday 26 October, 9am to 4pm – Paulton's Park
- Thursday 27 October, 9am to 4pm – Winchester Science Centre
- Thursday 27 October, 1pm to 5pm – 1:2:1 Talk with a foster carer (book your chosen timeslot)
- Friday 28 October, 9am to 4pm – Watercress Line, Alresford
- Saturday 29 October, 10am to 11.30am – Virtual Information Session
Anyone unable to attend any of the above events can find out more from the Fostering Hampshire Children website, which provides a wealth of resources, information and details of information events.