Fostering

"It's lovely knowing we have brought happy memories to a childhood."

What is Fostering?

Foster carers are people who look after someone else’s child when their birth family is unable to do so.

Some foster carers may look after a child for a short time – for just one night or a weekend. Others will look after the same children for years and may become their permanent family.

Babies, children and teenagers can all require foster care due to:

• parental physical or mental ill health
• parental substance misuse
• physical, sexual or emotional abuse or neglect
• parents needing respite care from caring for a child.

What kind of person makes a good foster carer?

Foster carers come in all shapes and sizes. We welcome applications from all members of the community, including older couples and single people.

The background of all prospective foster carers is thoroughly checked. However, minor criminal offences, including teenage misdemeanours, may not affect how applications are viewed.

Fostering can be immensely rewarding and satisfying. It can also be physically and emotionally demanding, but we’ll support you all the way.

Orkney Health and Care is running a three-month campaign to recruit more foster carers beginning September 2010.

If you are interested in finding out more about becoming a foster carer, please contact Shona Thain or Denise Wick via email or phone us on 01856 873535 for a chat. We’d love to hear from you.

Fostering Booklets and Leaflets

Fostering Leaflet - This leaflet gives an overview of fostering - what to expect and the help at hand.

Fostering Booklet - This booklet goes into more detail about fostering, including real life accounts from foster carers, families and those who have been in foster care.

Both documents are available from the Related Downloads section to the left.