ANYONE considering a new role as a foster carer should get in touch with Foster4 – the pioneering foster carer recruitment service for the Warrington area.
That’s the advice of Cllr Matt Smith (pictured), cabinet member for children’s services at Warrington Borough Council.
He said: “If anyone is considering a new role as a foster carer I would urge them to get in touch with Foster4’s recruitment team. It’s a vital role in helping to nurture, guide and support local children, many who may not have had the best start in life.”
Foster4 is a recruitment service, recruiting foster carers on behalf of Cheshire West and Chester Council, Halton Borough Council and Warrington Borough Council.
Typical of the sort of people they have recruited are Louisa and Alex from Warrington , who decided to foster in October 2019.
Louisa said: “We looked at a number of fostering options, but when we spoke to a member of the team at Foster4, they were so approachable and friendly and gave us lots of helpful advice. It immediately put us at our ease. They were interested in us as people and what we could bring to the role of a foster carer, which was fantastic to hear.”
The couple began caring for their first foster children, a young sibling group, during the first national lockdown.
Louisa said: “We had about 10 days of initial chats and introductions remotely and we were able to talk to the children and show them what our house is like. They were very excited when they first arrived and were bundles of pure energy. It was crazy but great fun! To help them settle in we concentrated on setting boundaries and introducing routines to help the children get used to us and their new home.
Alex added: “As new carers we were nervous about behavioural issues the children may have, but everything has gone very smoothly and we haven’t had any issues that we haven’t been able to resolve. The training offered is fantastic and our supervising social worker is brilliant. She and the team have been able to ensure we are always properly supported, 24/7.”
Both Louisa and Alex have found fostering to be a very positive and worthwhile experience and their advice to others is: “Always do your research and ask as many questions as you can. But speaking to the team at Foster4 is a great place to start and get expert advice about fostering children in your local area.”
Cllr Smith added: “It’s people like Louisa and Alex who help to highlight the positive benefits that fostering can have, not only on the children, but also the sense of personal pride and satisfaction for the foster carer themselves.”
Anyone inspired by Louisa and Alex’s story who would like to know more about becoming a foster carer for Cheshire West and Chester, Halton or Warrington, should go to Foster4.co.uk or telephone 01925 444100.
