Could You Foster?

Can you help a child or young person in need?

Juliet Cleverdon from Calvert is proud to foster with Buckinghamshire County Council. Over the past 30 years Juliet and her husband Charlie have fostered countless children. "I just love every bit about fostering and I don't know what I would do without it," said Juliet.

Now Juliet is calling on other people in Buckinghamshire to come forward and find out more about fostering.

There are over 450 children in care in Buckinghamshire and but we currently only have 145 carers to look after them. As a result, many of these vulnerable children are sent to homes out of the county, away from everything and everyone that they know.

As Foster Care Fortnight draws to a close, we are putting out a fresh call to the people of Bucks to step forward and do their bit to support our children in need.

We particularly need carers for children and young people from black and ethnic minority backgrounds, teenagers and sibling groups, as well as unaccompanied asylum seeking children and specialist carers for parent and baby and child placements.

You can find out more about fostering and what it involves by attending our Information Evening this Thursday, 18 May at the Aylesbury Opportunities Centre, Thame Road South, HP21 8TS, from 7 to 8.30pm.

Gladys Rhodes White, Interim Director of Children's Services said: "We are appealing to the people of Bucks to stand up and show their support to our children and young people.
"You don't necessarily need any special skills or knowledge to foster, what you do need is a passion to care for a child or young person through a period in their life where they need some additional support and a stable place to call home.

"We can offer you training and support so if you are interested and have a spare room, we would love to hear from you."

Foster carers with Buckinghamshire County Council are given a competitive financial package and benefit from ongoing training and specialist support from our in-house team.

To find out more or to book your place on our Information Evening visit our website: www.buckscc.gov.uk/fostering or get in touch with our First Step team on 0800 160 1900.