Manchester people needed to care for Manchester kids
THOUSANDS of children are living in foster care in Greater Manchester yet there is still a shortage of families willing to take on the challenge.
As part of Foster Care Fortnight, local authorities have renewed their recruitment drive for new foster carers.
Manchester council is hoping to recruit 50 new foster carers this year to meet the rising demand of youngsters needing a home, and Salford council is looking for 40.
Similar appeals have been launched by all of the other local authorities.
There are more than 3,400 children already living in foster care across the region, but there are many youngsters still waiting for a placement.
Teenagers and sibling groups are the most difficult to place, according to fostering charities and agencies.
Children in care are also presenting more ‘complex’ behavioural needs.
James Foyle, from the Fostering Network charity, explained: “More and more children coming into care do have complex needs and need extra support.
“Child sexual exploitation is a big issue, as is alcohol and drug abuse. It varies from area to area, but foster parents have to understand those needs.”
The Fostering Network estimates that fostering services across the UK, both council-led and agencies, need a further 8,370 foster families in 2015 alone.
Jon Broadhurst, north west manager at The Adolescent and Children’s Trust (TACT), said the demand for foster homes had gone up partly due to the recognition that foster homes are better for children than residential care homes.
He added: “There is certainly a significant number of children who require foster placements and we haven’t got enough.
“It’s about recognising that foster placements are generally a better option as opposed to residential care.
“Finding the right foster home for the kids is absolutely crucial. For example with sibling groups, it’s very important to keep them together, which is what we specialise in a TACT.
“The demand for foster homes has always been there. I’ve been working it for 18 years and there has never been enough foster carers.
“Ultimately, foster care goes back to human rights that every child is entitled to a family situation.
“Residential care is suitable for some children, but for the majority foster homes are better. It’s about giving them a loving home and an experience of how family life should be.”
Barbara Merji, from Old Trafford, swapped her job as a bank adviser for foster care last year.
Barbara, who fosters through TACT, says becoming a carer was ‘the best decision she’s ever made.’ She said: “I had worked in a bank for years and I wanted to do something more fulfilling. I adopted my son and I wanted to help other children so I made some inquiries with TACT.
“My first placement was a big learning curve and very difficult at times. But you get support to help you and the children through that.
“I am now looking after two sisters, aged 13 and 14, and I feel like becoming a foster carer was the best decision I ever made.”
People can find out more information through their local council’s fostering service, fostering agencies and charities such as the Fostering Network.
Gladys Rhodes White, interim strategic director for children’s services at Manchester council, said:
“The overall number of children in our care is steadily reducing, but for those children we do look after our experience here is the same as in other parts of the country – this is that children who are fostered tend to do significantly better than those who are in residential care.
“We don’t yet have enough inhouse foster carers here in Manchester and therefore we’re trying to increase the numbers so that we’ve got Manchester people looking after Manchester children.”