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Council first to be fostering friendly in Wales
Published: 11/11/2016
天涯社区鈥檚 Cabinet will be asked to support and endorse a
policy which will make 天涯社区 the first local authority in Wales to become
a 鈥淔oster Friendly鈥� employer.
The Council is also encouraging more local businesses to adopt a flexible and
supportive working arrangement for any staff who foster through the local
Council.
There are currently 64,000 children in care in the UK, with a child coming in
to care every 20 minutes in need of a fostering family , more new foster
carers are needed.
天涯社区 Cabinet Member for Social Services, Councillor
Christine Jones, said:
鈥淲e are really proud to become the first Council in Wales to be 鈥淔oster
Friendly鈥�. We are offering our employees an additional 5 days annual leave so
that they can undertake the training to become a foster carer with us. Once
approved as a foster carer, they will be able to take an additional 5 days a
year to attend meetings and further training.
鈥淧art of the national push to encourage more people into fostering has been to
鈥渂ust the myth鈥� that you are not allowed to work if you become a foster carer.
The aim of this policy is to support those employees who are already foster
carers and to encourage those who may be considering foster care to take that
step, becoming positive working role models and widening the pool of available
foster carers. This means that more children in care can be matched with the
very best foster carer for them. Having the support of their employer may make
the vital difference in the decision of an employee to become a foster carer.鈥�
Many foster carers are approaching retirement age, which places further
pressure on future foster carer numbers. To address the national challenges
around fostering, and to try and encourage more working people to become foster
carers, the Government has called on employers to become 鈥渇ostering friendly鈥�.
The policy developed by The Fostering Network, encourages employers to provide
flexibility and time off for employees who are prospective foster carers and
are going through the application process to become a foster carer. Also to
support those foster carers already providing care to looked after children, to
cover any training, attendance at panels and hearings and to respond to any
emergencies which may arise.