A new package of support has been developed to help children and young people with higher levels of need to live in a family home in or near to Plymouth, rather than in residential care.
The new ‘Step Forward Scheme’ for foster carers has been developed by Foster for Plymouth, Plymouth City Council’s own fostering agency, to address the challenge of a growing number of children and young people in residential care.
The aim is for all children and young people in care in Plymouth to be cared for in a loving and supportive local family home, however due to a shortage of foster carers this is not always possible.
Living in residential care often means that children have to live away from the city and is often not the best environment to support their wellbeing. It also places a huge financial burden on the Council.
The Step Forward Scheme is designed to give greater support to foster carers who are willing and able to support children with greater needs, such as behavioural challenges.
In recognition of this, the scheme offers a comprehensive package in return, including a minimum financial allowance of £800 per week (£41,600 per year).
Step Forward foster carers and children will also receive wraparound support from a dedicated team of professionals including specialist mental health practitioners and dedicated supervising social workers. There will also be peer support from other foster carers, with a buddy system and a monthly group meeting.
Councillor Jemima Laing, Cabinet Member for Children’s Social Care, said: “We recognise that in some very exceptional cases, residential care can be an appropriate move for young people. But for the vast majority of the children and young people we support, it would be much better for them to live in a loving family home within Plymouth so that they continue to maintain positive relationships with family and friends and can access health and social care support.
“The new Step Forward foster care scheme recognises that some children who may otherwise have to live in residential care have much higher emotional and support needs, which has led to us developing this new package of support to encourage more foster carers to take on this role.
“This offer is open to our existing carers, but we would welcome applications from new foster carers who have other experience of working with children and young people with complex needs, and who may be looking for a new challenge that would give them the opportunity to make a huge difference to a child’s life.”
To be a Step Forward foster carer, applicants will need to demonstrate key qualities such as resilience and determination, and high levels of empathy and compassion so that they can help children recover from the trauma they have experienced by parenting them in a therapeutic way.
Foster carers would need to have experience of working alongside children with complex needs, either as a foster carer or in social care, health, education, in a residential setting or in youth justice.
The Step Forward scheme is open to current Foster for Plymouth carers and to other foster carers who may be interested in transferring to Foster for Plymouth, as well as people who have not fostered before but who have the relevant experience.
For more information, contact the Foster for Plymouth team on [email protected] or 01752 308762.
Find out more about fostering in Plymouth at fosterforplymouth.co.uk.