Could you help with foster care?

A recruitment drive is being launched for a service to provide short-term foster care for families after its use fell dramatically during the Covid-19 pandemic. Louise Perrin reports.

Staff at North Yorkshire County Council’s fostering service are looking for new carers to sign up to a short break scheme to offer support to young people while their families can take a wellearned break.

Short breaks are usually for regular weekends or overnight stays and sometimes for outreach support or day care in between.

The child’s family benefits from a much-needed rest, knowing the youngster is in safe hands.

The skills, experience and interests of carers are matched with the needs of the children and those involved in the scheme will often build a strong bond with the youngster and their family over time.

Prior to the Covid-19 virus pandemic, the service was being used by 15 young people, who had about 60 short break nights each annually.

However, while the offer of the service remained in place at the start of the pandemic, take-up fell to zero due to concerns over the spread of the virus among potentially vulnerable children.

There are now just six short break carers in North Yorkshire as some have moved to different types of fostering while others have either retired or left the service.

A total of 17 young people are on Fostering North Yorkshire’s register for the scheme, with seven of them currently waiting for a carer.

Short break carer Alex and her husband, Lee, who are based in Harrogate, have been providing short breaks with Fostering North Yorkshire for about six years. They have three daughters of their own.

Ben came to their home for short breaks for about four years.

His needs included some physical caring and he also had some dietary needs and regularly woke up during the night.

He enjoyed his time spent with Alex and Lee’s family, bonding with their girls, with activities varying from dog-walking in the park to creating DVDs on his iPad, leaving him feeling relaxed and at home.

Alex said: “Ben’s parents were glad of the chance to recharge their batteries – and benefit from some undisturbed sleep.

“They also really enjoyed some time together without caring responsibilities and were very appreciative of this.

“We developed a genuine bond with the family and are still in touch with them – in fact we have just sent birthday wishes to Ben.

“Now Ben is older, he and his family receive tailored support in their own home.”

If you can help visit northyorks.gov.uk/fostering online, email fostering@northyorks.gov.uk, or call 01609 534654.