8 May 2008

A Fostercarer’s Story

To mark Fostering Fortnight - 12^th-25^thMay, the Southern Health and Social Care Trust is raising awareness of the need for more foster carers throughout the area.

In the Southern Trust there are 423 children and young people in care. Over 228 of these are placed in foster care, cared for by 250 foster carers.

The Trust is always looking for new foster carers. We need people from all backgrounds to care for children who cannot be looked after within their own families. This could be for a number of reasons for example, health or social issues, relationship problems or lack of support. Fostering provides security and stability for a child in such circumstances.

Ruth Maxwell from Banbridge is married with four grown up children and has been a foster carer for 34 years. “I myself was a foster child, so I had experienced the difference it could make to a young person’s life,” says Ruth. “I knew from an early age that I wanted to do something to help children.”

Ruth has been fostering since 1974 when her own children were quite young. “My family have grown up with fostering so it is a way of life for us. Our house is like a ceili house with plenty of people coming and going, we really enjoy the buzz.

“I started off with pre adoption fostering, then moved to short-term, before long-term and then on to respite and emergency. I now provide fostering for any of these situations and also take children with special needs. In total I have cared for 168 children over the years from babies to teenagers.”

To find out if you would like to be a foster carer Ruth recommends that you attend one of the information evenings organised by the Trust. “You will get to hear how the whole process works from experienced foster carers. If you are interested you will receive a visit from a Social Worker from the Family Placement Team who will guide you through the process. Throughout the years I have dealt with many social workers and have always found them very supportive.”

On the challenges of fostering Ruth says: “Some children are very vulnerable and unsettled when they come to you, through circumstances that are not their fault. You just have to treat every child as unique and give them the care that you would give your own children.

“However it is lovely to watch children respond to the love they get from a family and the professional support that they receive. There are lots of success stories.”

Ruth concludes: “I have really enjoyed my 34 years of fostering and the more I do it, the more I enjoy it. It is very rewarding to work with young people and I just hope that I have given them as much as they have given me. Sometimes ex foster children keep in touch with me and love to know how they are getting on. The door is always open to them. I urge people who are thinking of fostering just to go and do it. Don’t leave it to others. People like me are getting older, so we need more new foster carers in the system.”

Allowances are paid to cover the cost of caring for children. The Trust welcomes anyone who is interested in fostering. You may be single, young or older, employed or unemployed. You don’t need to a large home but you do need to have space to accommodate a child.

The Craigavon and Banbridge Family Placement Team is hosting two local events for anyone interested in fostering where they will have the opportunity to chat to staff and foster carers.

A drop in session will take place at Banbridge Social Services Centre – The Iveagh Suite, on Wednesday 21st May from 11.00am to 4.00pm.

A coffee morning will take place at Bocombra Family Placement Services, Portadown on Friday 23^rd May from 10.00am to 12.00noon.

The Trust is also running a series of Information Sessions throughout the area for those interested in finding out more about fostering.

Time	Venue
Tuesday 13th May 2008 at 7.00 pm	Conference Room, Portadown Health Centre
Wednesday 18th June 2008 at 8.00 pm	The Iveagh Suite, Banbridge, Social Services Offices, Banbridge
Wednesday 17th September 2008 at 8.00 pm	The Baby Clinic Room, Lurgan Social Services Office
Tuesday 14th October 2008 at 7.00 pm	The Conference Room, Portadown Health Centre,

To find out more contact your local Family Placement Team Tel: 028 3833 7181