Helping families to stay together
BEING a foster carer is about giving a child who has become looked after the best start in life that they otherwise would not have.
All children need a safe and nurturing environment where they can thrive and reach their potential.
Why foster with Calon Cymru Fostering?
Calon Cymru provides all foster carers with 24/7 support from specialist social workers and comprehensive training, 365 days a year, so that they can provide the best possible care for the children they are looking after. Calon Cymru offers a variety of services, from fostering teenagers to therapeutically-led placements, to sibling groups and more.
Parent and child fostering
One of the least known fostering services is its parent and child (P&C) placements (the first of its kind in Wales). With a growing number of children coming into care, this service is vital in keeping those numbers down and helps birth families stay together where this is safe.
“It hasn’t always been easy and at times I felt like giving up, but I kept to it and I enjoyed being in placement. I have made life changes and have done what I needed to do to prove that I can look after my baby. It took a lot longer than I thought but, in the end, I got to go home with my baby,” said ZB, P&C placement.
You won’t be expected to provide direct parental care to the child, unless this is part of an agreed plan. Instead, you will help the parent develop their own skills by demonstrating and role-modelling. You may oversee tasks such as making up feeds, establishing bedtime routines or interacting with the child, as well as setting clear boundaries.
What’s next?
Welcoming a family into your home can be difficult at first, but the reward of knowing you will have helped a family stay together is what we hope will encourage you to foster.