Bamford & Norden Dec-Jan 2020

Can you make a real difference to
a child’s life and become a foster carer
with Rochdale Borough Council?
A woman who gave up her teaching career to become a
foster carer is encouraging others to give a loving home to
children who, often through no fault of their own, are in the
care of the council.
Trish, who’s became a foster carer with Rochdale council a year ago,
gave up her teaching job to foster and she says that seeing the children
she cares for thrive in education is a rewarding part of the job: “I have
transferred my teaching skills to use with the children in my care. I feel
that I am making a big difference in enabling the children to be the best
they can be educationally and also in their personal growth.”
There are over 55,000 children and young people living in foster care
placements across England and around 43,500 households foster with their local authority.
However, there continues to be a decline in the number of people becoming foster carers
and councils across England are looking for people to come forward as new carers.
Trish is encouraging people across Rochdale to come forward and support local children
in the borough, she said: “It’s a challenging but rewarding role, which has enabled me to
achieve a better work-life balance as I am at home during the day and not rushing in from
work at 6pm every night. I’d really encourage people to contact the council’s fostering
team and take that first step.”
The former teacher has fostered many teenagers, and she’s encouraging others to
think about fostering teens, she said: “I love fostering teenagers through this difficult yet
exciting stage of their lives. I can teach them vital life skills that will set them up for their
future. They have often already gained a level of life experience, which enables them to
be independent and for me to learn from them too. Teenagers in foster care often have
an undeserved stigma attached to them, however, they usually just require the safety and
stability of a loving family who will listen and respond to their needs.”
The council is always on the lookout for people who wish to take up the rewarding role of
being and fostering carer. We are currently running a campaign urging people who are
considering fostering teenagers, who are often very hard to place, to get in touch.
Training, support and guidance is available from our fostering team and you will have
a dedicated social worker to support you throughout.
Councillor Kieran Heakin, cabinet member for children’s services,
said: “We have an increasing need for new foster carers. We
particularly need to recruit carers for older children and teenagers
and for children who need more specialist care. If you’ve got
experience working with children through your profession,
volunteering or raising your own family we’d like to hear from
you, you can make such a huge difference.”
If you’re interested in fostering for
Rochdale visit rochdale.gov.uk/fostering
phone 0300 303 1000
or email enquire@fosteringforrochdale.co.uk
30 To advertise call 07976 289967 or 07974 434793 or email sales@streetwisemag.co.uk