Member Article

Locals can 'foster' new career opportunity

North East parents whose children have flown the nest or adults who have spent time looking after other people’s youngsters are being asked to consider a new career as a foster carer. Newcastle-based not-for-profit agency Team Fostering is always looking for new carers and is promoting the fact that fostering offers a very real career option for couples or single people.

No formal qualifications are necessary to become a foster carer although it requires commitment and substantial parenting experience, or experience looking after other people’s children. Anyone who has worked in a relevant career such as teaching, youth work or nursing young people and the elderly would also be suitable and if they have their own children still at home they should ideally be 14 or over.

Helen Middleton of Team Fostering said: “What we are really looking for is people who value and respect other people’s differences, people who are resourceful, flexible and able to use their initiative and enjoy teamwork.”

Prospective carers can be married, single or living together and there is no upper age limit for fostering. Foster carers are self employed and receive £381.50 a week for a standard placement and £497 a week for crisis intervention placements for teenagers.

Anyone joining Team Fostering is given full training and support including a combination of in-house and external courses, specialist conferences and seminars and the opportunity to achieve NVQ level 3 in Caring for Children and Young People. For more information call Team Fostering’s Newcastle office on 0191 262 8855 or Darlington 01325 368600.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .