Posted on Wednesday 4th August 2021
It’s no secret there’s a shortage of foster carers throughout the UK. Each year, tens of thousands of children across the UK need foster carers while they can’t live with their own families.
Like every other job that involves working with children, fostering is a challenge. It involves a large amount of work, however is extremely rewarding. If you want to make a change to your own life as well as making a positive impact on the lives of local children, then fostering is something you could consider.
Foster carers are experts at child care, working with a team of other professionals to give children the highest standard of care possible whilst they can’t live with their birth family.
Alongside the professional aspect of being a foster carer, you must offer children a positive experience of family life.
There is nothing quite like fostering if you want to work with children.
If you’re not already convinced, and still asking yourself ‘Why should I foster?’, then here are 21 reasons why we believe you should become a foster carer:
Reasons to become a foster carer:
1. Give children the chance to be part of a family environment
If you believe that children deserve the chance to be part of a happy family environment, then fostering could be for you.
Some young people who come to us have never experienced a positive family environment, and they deserve to experience one. You could be the person to provide this.
2. Help children have a break from difficult home circumstances
Sometimes young people need a break from their family home due to experiences that are affecting their wellbeing.
Maybe you know what it’s like to have had a difficult experience in childhood and understand how being removed from that environment for a short while could benefit a young person.
3. Bring positive changes to a child’s life experience
If you were to become a foster carer, the time a young person spends with you could likely be their first positive life experience. You could provide a young person with a positive change they need to help realise their potential and build trust with others.
4. Grow yourself by stepping out of your comfort zone
Fostering has many benefits to young people, however, there are also benefits to the people who care for the young people.
Fostering could be a big step outside of your usual comfort zone by inviting a young person into your home. However, helping young people grow and develop themselves will help you see another side of yourself - and you’ll grow and develop yourself.
5. You believe children deserve a safe place to learn and grow
It could be part of your beliefs that all children deserve the right to have a safe place to learn and grow. If you’re of this belief, then being a foster carer could be your calling!
6. Give children the hope of a brighter future
We believe every child deserves the right to have the chance of a bright future, and as a foster carer, you can help facilitate that.
Get in touch with our team today and help brighten the future of a local young person.
7. Help families stay together
Sometimes children just need a break away from their family home in order to help them stay together in the long run.
Fostering can help enable this to happen, and get families back on the right track.
8. Fostering is rewarding
Fostering is one of the most rewarding things you can do in your life.
Putting time and effort into developing a young person can make a big difference in someone’s life. Knowing that you’ve had that effect on shaping someone’s future is as rewarding as they come!
9. A career that makes a difference
Fostering can be done alongside your career, however, being a foster carer could be your career.
Helping to nurture, grow and develop a young person at a complicated time in their life makes a difference to them, your local community, and society.
If you’re looking for a career that makes a difference, then fostering could be your calling.
10. More children are needing foster care than ever before
The number of children that require foster care has grown by 44% in the UK, due to the effects of the Covid pandemic.
The amount of people looking to become foster carers has also almost halved during this time.
Staffordshire, like the rest of the UK, is in need of foster carers. If you’ve considered the possibility of becoming a foster carer, please get in touch with our team today.
11. I want to help my community
Having local, Staffordshire young people in the foster care system benefits the community, as you can help get them on the right path.
Getting young people on track in Staffordshire is beneficial to our local area, as these young people are the future of our County.
12. No one regrets becoming a foster carer
It’s very rare that you hear that anyone regrets becoming a foster carer. It’s an incredibly rewarding experience, and you’ll improve as you become more experienced.
If you want to read more experiences about becoming a foster carer, then check out our foster carer stories.
13. Change a child’s life
As a foster carer, you’ve got a big opportunity to changes a child’s life.
They may have had a tough upbringing, and need a little guidance to help them get on the right track. You could be that person to guide them.
14. Try something new
If you’re the sort of person who likes to try something new to challenge themselves, then fostering could be for you. It’s a big experience where you’ll develop your skills and grow as a person.
15. Meet new people
There’s plenty of ongoing training and support available as a foster carer, where you’ll meet lots of like-minded people who have the future of young people at heart.
16. Reduce barriers to learning for children
There are many barriers that can halt the development and learning process of a young person.
When a young person enters the foster care system, there’s plenty of barriers to their learning - whether that be in school or wider society.
You could help a young person break down these barriers, and help them believe and succeed.
17. Give a child security for the first time
Sometimes children in care lack security and require a safe, stable home to allow them to flourish.
As a foster carer, you could provide a young person with this secure home - and help lay the foundations for them to build a successful future.
18. Promote emotional and physical well-being
Without the guidance of a supporting home, a child could struggle with physical and mental wellbeing.
Our foster carers receive training and guidance to help young people believe in themselves, and help you train young people about emotional and physical health.
If you’re got a passion for exercise, cooking or meditation, then you could help a young person with their physical and mental health as a foster carer.
19. On-going training and 24/7 support is available
As a Foster for Staffordshire foster carer, you won’t be on your own.
We have a large team and network of foster carers who are here to support you through the fostering process.
We offer support for both you and your family where you’ll undertake tailored training before you’re an approved foster carer, and we’ll continue to support you to develop your professional skills with training throughout your fostering career.
20. My children have fled the nest
If you’re a parent and your children have flown the nest, it’s natural to still have a parental instinct and the urge to look after someone.
Fostering can be the tonic that you’re searching for, and by putting your parental skills to good use, you’re benefitting the lives of local young people, and the community around you.
21. I didn’t have children and want the experience
If you never had children and want to experience looking after a young person, then fostering could be what you’ve been looking for.
You don’t need to have raised children before to be a successful foster carer, just the willingness and drive to learn, and persevere when times are tough.
You’ll receive full training before being approved as a foster carer, and ongoing support throughout the entire fostering process.
Interested in becoming a foster carer in Staffordshire?
Foster care may be the most challenging job you’ll ever have, but it can be the most rewarding one as well.
At Foster for Staffordshire, we believe every child deserves a happy childhood and we do all we can to improve the lives of vulnerable children.
In light of the Covid pandemic, we need more foster carers in Staffordshire.
If you think you have what it takes to be a foster carer, get in touch with our team today.