Primary Times - the definitive what’s on and where to go family guide of activities and events for children of primary school age. Things to do with your kids during the school holidays including arts and craft activities, music and theatre for children, parties, competitions, days out, and family attractions along with term time drama schools, dance classes, after school clubs and sports activities. Things to do at a place near you!
Could 2024 be the year you become a foster carer?
Every September, as parents drop their little ones off at primary school – some for the first time – there occurs a natural watershed moment. It’s a time to reflect on your growing children, how you spend your days, and what the next few years might hold for you.
Fostering might be something you have occasionally (or never) thought about. Gloucestershire County Council would like you to consider it today. It takes a while to become a foster carer; on average, from application to approval, around six months. This seemingly lengthy process both safeguards the children and prepares applicants for the task ahead of them.
There are currently 860 children in care in Gloucestershire – and there is a growing national shortage of foster carers. The cost-of-living crisis strutting in hot off the heels of COVID has created several challenges for local authorities trying to recruit foster carers. Many elderly parents who moved in with children during COVID remain there still, and university-age children are increasingly opting to live at home during their course, as private accommodation and fees price many freshers out of the joy of independent living. These scenarios mean that there are simply not as many spare rooms as there used to be.
The GCC fostering service is entirely not for profit – the more children we can place in-house, the less money is paid to private fostering agencies. There is a type of fostering to suit all kinds of schedules and family circumstances. If you have a spare room and are over 21, please give the GCC’s friendly team a call for a no obligation chat. You can also find out about payments, training and local support on the website.
Gloucester County Council Fostering Service T: 01242 532654 W: www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/fostering
