A pioneering fostering support team is celebrating a decade of helping families stay strong in Leicestershire.
Established in the summer of 2016, the Dedicated Placement Support Team (DPST) has played a vital role in supporting more than 700 families over the years.
The Leicestershire County Council service aims to strengthen relationships by offering practical support to young people in care, foster carers and birth families to ensure placements remain strong, secure and productive.
The creation of the DPST was an opportunity to really make a difference for our children and young people by helping them on their road to independence, surrounded by carers and staff who really understood their journey.
Person:Joss Longman, fostering and adoption service manager and founder of the support team
Now an eight-strong team, the DPST is estimated to have supported hundreds of families with a range of unique challenges.
The need for the team came following a review of a large children’s home in Wigston that no longer met local needs. Following consultation, it was agreed that resources from the home would be redirected to a more flexible, family-focused approach.
Joss added: “I started my career in residential care the late 1980s. I loved it and have really seen the positive impact it can have.”
“However, the practice was very much that residential care was the last stop for these young people, and the opportunity for them to return to any kind of family-based care was minimal.”
The team works with young people, in-part, to step them back into foster care or home to birth parents.
Speaking of the team’s impact, one birth parent said: “At first, I was very wary about letting support into my life. I found it hard to trust anyone. However, I decided to give it a chance – and I’m so glad I did.
“I’ve really valued the team’s help. They’ve supported me with filling out forms, applying for benefits, getting a new cooker, and even accompanied me to a medical appointment.
The team has made such a difference in our lives, and we will always be grateful for their kindness, patience, and understanding.”
“Reaching this milestone is a great achievement. The team has worked with hundreds of families who’ve been supported through difficult times with kindness, patience and understanding.
“Their work is more than keeping placements going, it’s about building trust, giving people confidence and helping children feel safe and supported. You can see the difference they make in the stories families share.”
Person:Cllr Charles Pugsley, lead member for children and families
Those interested in finding out more about the support and guidance the county council offers to its foster carers can find out more by contacting the fostering team on 0116 305 0505, or by emailing fostering@leics.gov.uk.