REDCAR & CLEVELAND BOROUGH COUNCIL - New appeal for foster carers – do you have room in your heart and space in your home?

THE council has launched a new appeal for people considering foster care to come forward.

A bed with the borough’s special foster care teddy bears (see image attached) is being taken across the borough as part of the campaign.

Foster carers in Redcar and Cleveland also receive several financial benefits for helping improve the lives of vulnerable children and young people including competitive compensation payments and Council Tax exemption.

Financial support, full training and extensive support is available to anyone becoming a foster carer. Contact the fostering team on 01642 444087 or foster@redcar-cleveland.gov.uk

Case Study Two – Former steelworker who has helped nearly 200 children

A DEDICATED foster carer has told of how he has supported between 150 and 200 vulnerable children and teenagers in the past 12 years.

Jim Lackenby, 54, of Skelton, and his partner, Julie Felgate, have often looked after teenagers. The former steelworker explained there have been many tough times - but stressed they were far outweighed by the reward of helping young people find their path in life.

He said: “There’s one of our young men who comes to stay every Christmas. He came as a scared asylum seeker, a teenager who had been through awful times and spoke no English and had no family here. Now he comes with his own partner, a happy young man. It’s wonderful to see.

“We’ve done lots of different types of foster care over the years: respite, emergency – and had quite a few long-term placements who you do become very close to. “We’ve taken a lot of older children, but we recently had an eight-year-old and, I have to say, we really enjoyed it – there were a lot of sing-alongs which was great! That child is much happier and you really see the difference in younger ones.

“There are challenges and it isn’t for everyone. But the rewards are huge. My advice to a new foster carer would be; ‘take all the expert advice you can – and take it slowly.’”

Case study 3 – Mum who runs her own full-time business, look after her own children and still fosters

A MOTHER-OF-TWO who runs her own business has stepped up to the challenge of foster care.

Georgina Robinson, 36, from Eston is relatively new to fostering, having completed her training to become a foster carer in early 2021. After just a few months she was asked to provide a bed for a young girl as an emergency placement who has stayed with the family. She was only the second child Georgina had fostered but seven months on the child has settled in very well.

“It’s amazing to see the difference in her,” said Georgina. “It was a challenging first few months and we've still got a long way to go but she has really settled in and is adored by all of the family.

“I work full time and I might not fit the stereotype of a foster carer - but I would say to anyone, forget the stereotype – all kinds of foster carers are needed”.