INFORMATION FOR WEBSITE FOR FOSTERING AND FAMILY CARE SERVICE

Fostering in the Isle of Man

Right now there are children in the Isle of Man who need the support of Foster Carers to help bring some stability into their lives. You can make a difference now – join Fostering First and help vulnerable children thrive within their community.

Could You:

• Help a child cope during a difficult time?
• Offer understanding and nurture to a child who may show their emotions through their behaviour?
• Give time and commitment to helping a child adjust to being part of your family?

Do you:

• Want to work as part of a team with Fostering First to support the interests of children?
• Want to benefit from our support and training to help develop your skills and confidence in the Fostering role?

Who can Foster?

Foster Carers come from all walks of life…

• It’s OK to be married, divorced or single, or co-habiting.
• You need to be over 21: if you are coming up to retirement or just starting out – we want to hear from you!
• Age is not as important as the ability to care for a child.
• Some Carers have children. Some don’t.
• Some Carers are home owners. Some are not.

What is involved?

There is a need for many different kinds of care for children and young people, which fall into four broad categories:

• Short term - This is when you take a child into your home where often the plan for the child is an eventual return home. Timescales can be from a few weeks to several months.
• Long term - This is when children are unable to return home and need a long term permanent home.
• Emergency - This is when a child comes into care suddenly, they will remain with you usually for a short while until further plans have been made for them.
• Respite care - This is providing regular care to children for short periods of time as a support to birth families or other Foster Carers.

How Fostering First can support you

At Fostering First we will provide you with:

• A comprehensive Foster Care preparation programme to help you develop your fostering knowledge and skills.
• Ongoing training packages through your Fostering career.
• Financial remuneration to cover the expenses of caring for a child.
• A Fostering Link Worker who will visit at regular intervals to support you in your Fostering role.

About Fostering First

Fostering First (www.thechildrenscentre.org.im/fosteringfirst) was established in April 2010 following the signing of a contractual agreement between the Department of Social Care and The Children’s Centre (www.thechildrenscentre.org.im).

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