Hemel Hempstead foster carers help launch Recruiting Now campaign

Local foster carers join forces with Hertfordshire County Council in new campaign to highlight the desperate need for more carers
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Foster carers in Hemel Hempstead are supporting Hertfordshire County Council's new campaign #RecruitingNow, to encourage residents to considering fostering.

There are over 900 children and young people in care and many live with Hertfordshire’s foster carers. Each month, the council receive an average of 55 requests for new foster placements.

Without foster carers, many children and young people, through no fault of their own, could end up without the stability and nurturing security of a home environment.

It’s not just about being safe, it’s about supporting children and young people to thrive, and living as part of family life can often make a huge difference in achieving a great outcome for a child in need.

The new #RecruitingNow campaign, which features real life foster carers from across Hertfordshire, is appealing to residents who may have been affected by a change in circumstances owing to coronavirus.

Ed and Jools, from Hemel Hempstead, have been foster carers for seven years and have cared for a total of 14 children in that time aged between 1 and 16 years old.

Two years ago they became Mockingbird hub carers – an award winning scheme where experienced foster carers provide support to other foster carers in a similar structure to that of an extended family. They are currently supporting 8 foster families and 16 children.

Jools and EdJools and Ed
Jools and Ed

The couple have shared a video (attached) where the talking about being foster carers and what this has meant for them.

Keith and Nicky, from Hemel Hempstead, have also shared a video talking about being foster carers - youtu.be/RWmt4oahmdY. They have been fostering for two years and are currently fostering two brothers.

They have five sons of their own and their youngest is still at home. Before fostering they were both schoolteachers. Nicky is a full-time foster carer and Keith is an on-call firefighter.

The campaign aims to dispel some of the myths that surround foster care, in the hope that it will encourage more people to come forward to care for children and young people and offer them the security, stability and support of a loving home.

Nicky and KeithNicky and Keith
Nicky and Keith

For example, some people think they cannot be a carer because they are too old, single, have a disability, or are from a minority community.

In reality, foster carers come from lots of different backgrounds and age groups.

Councillor Teresa Heritage, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families, said: “Our foster carers are all ordinary people, but they do an extraordinary thing. Now more than ever, we need people to foster a child.

"The Coronavirus pandemic may have changed life as we know it for the time being, but one thing that hasn’t changed is the need for foster carers.

“Changes in working arrangements or circumstances due to coronavirus could mean that people who had been thinking about fostering for a while are now in a position to seriously consider this as a career.

"We hope that if this is the case that they will get in touch as we’d love to welcome them to the team.”

Fostering offers the flexibility of working from home, perhaps while caring for your own children, or to combine fostering and other work, depending on the age and needs of the children in your care.

There are many different types of fostering and foster carers can choose what is right for them.

Fostering can be personally rewarding, they make a real difference to children’s lives and our foster carers tell us it is the most rewarding thing they have ever done.

To become a foster carer in Hertfordshire, you must be over 21 years old, and have at least one spare room at home.

Anyone fostering with Hertfordshire County Council can expect a generous allowance, full training and unrivalled support, they council is on hand to guide new foster carers through the process, every step of the way.

To find out more about fostering in Hertfordshire, visit www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/fosternow.