Blue River Family Care Limited

What type of support will be offered to me?

Blue River foster carers are well supported by a Social Worker who will supervise them regularly and is on the other end of the telephone should they need to get in touch.

Through training, support and shared expertise, we can ensure that foster carers are given every opportunity to fulfil their potential and give of their best.

We provide foster carer's support groups, where foster carers meet up together to have discussions with each other, to share experiences and for newer carers to have the benefit of more experienced carers. It also provides the opportunity of get to know each other and to network.

We also provide out of hours duty for foster carers. This means that you will be given a telephone number that you will be able to call, after the office is closed to enable carers to be able to get in touch with one of Blue River's social workers should there be a problem that needs to be discussed and that cannot be left until the following day.

Problems such as, if a child goes missing, emergency illness, a child protection incident or any problem that the carer feels is a cause for concern. You will also be provided with a out of hours duty telephone number for the Local Authority who placed the young person, to enable you to raise your concerns and to get advice.

This provision is designed to assist both the carer and the young person and is a tool designed to assist in keeping young people safe

What kinds of families are more suited to fostering?

Foster carers come from a wide range of backgrounds, but the starting point for almost all of them is that they genuinely like children and young people and feel that they would like to make a difference to their lives for the better.
It helps if applicants have previous fostering or related child care experience. More important is the carer themselves; their personality, enthusiasm and willingness to make a full-time commitment to fostering.

Applicants must also value differences towards race, religion, culture and disability.

Space also plays a factor in the application process as you will need separate rooms for each child placed with you, unless they are same sex siblings, of a similar age range and the room is of a size considered suitable for two children.

The following checklist may help you to decide whether you would like to foster for Blue River Family Care.

That you sincerely care for children and young people and can remain enthusiastic even when difficult situations arise.
That you appreciate that fostering will alter to some degree the way you live your life now.
That you realize that all children and young people come with challenges that you will find demanding.
That you can accept a child who may reject or strongly disagree with your values and feelings.
That you understand that children may lie, steal or display sexualized behaviour.
That you can accept and deal with anger from children.
The need to have a good sense of humour.
That you can when necessary, reach out to others for support.
That you can accept failure in yourself and others.
That you can be pleased with small steps of progress.
That you need to communicate with young people in order to get to know them well, so as to be able to commend them when necessary and be available to assist them with problem solving skills.