Leicestershire families who already have children living in their household are being encouraged to consider how fostering can fit into their lives.
October marks Children of Foster Carers Month, which aims to acknowledge and raise awareness of the role that birth children play in the fostering process.
Twelve-year-old Emily* and her family have been fostering since 2017, primarily fostering babies and toddlers on a short-term basis.
Emily has opened up about her experiences of welcoming foster children into their family and doing her part in supporting them during a vulnerable time.
“I like being part of a fostering family because it’s important to help the children who need lots of love and attention, and it gives me a chance to meet lots of new people.”
“The best part of fostering is doing fun things together that make the children happy. We do things like going on holiday, visiting a farm and amusements parks. We help them celebrate special occasions like birthdays and Christmas, and it’s nice to see their excitement.”
Person:Emily*
As part of dedicated, ongoing support for birth children, Leicestershire County Council regularly hosts social events to recognise their role in the process.
"We know that some families may see having their own birth children as a barrier to fostering for Leicestershire, but that could not be further from the truth. We welcome all family combinations to enquire and offer continued support to everyone during the fostering process, including birth children.
“The birth children of our foster carers do such a brilliant job of welcoming fostered children and young people into their home, and they deserve our recognition and thanks. They make such a huge difference to the settling-in process at a time that can be particularly emotionally complex.”
Person:Cllr Deborah Taylor, lead member for children and families
Anyone wanting to find out more about fostering with Leicestershire County Council can email fostering@leics.gov.uk or call 0116 305 0505.