With over 6,000 children currently in care across the North East but just over 1,500 approved foster carers available (33% less than there was a year ago), there is an urgent need to recruit new carers.  

 

In a direct response to the call for more foster carers, we’ve teamed up with 12 local authorities from across the region to launch Foster with North East - a new and first-of-its-kind collaborative partnership.  

 

The new hub seeks to support prospective foster carers in the region through their full journey, from initial enquiry, application and beyond. The hub will act as a first point of contact for those interested in fostering to help them make an informed choice about how fostering could work for them.  

  

Backed by the Department for Education, the hub will be the first port of call for prospective carers offering a warm welcome, directing enquiries to their local authority, and providing support throughout the application process. 

 

The scheme seeks to help recruit carers from a range of different backgrounds and circumstances in the region. 

 

The North East is also the first region in the UK to be fully signed up to the Fostering Network's Mockingbird programme.  

 

The initiative is set to nurture relationships between cared for children, young people and foster families by bringing together six to ten fostering families who act as an extended family for activities such as Sunday lunches, sleep overs and days out, and also support each other like any other big family. 

  

Foster with North East will also benefit from a new buddy mentoring scheme, linking prospective foster carers to experienced foster carers in their local area for further guidance and support through their assessment process. 

  

Jill Colbert OBE, Chair of the Foster with North East Project Implementation Board, said: "There has been a decline in the number of foster carers across the North East and we as a region recognised that something needs to be done to encourage more people into foster care.  

 

Whilst we know 64% of people are inspired to change a child's life through fostering, many don't realise they can and, as a result, don't make the initial enquiry. We want to bridge this knowledge gap and dispel myths around who is eligible to foster, to ensure we recruit a diverse range of carers across the region. 

  

"Foster with North East has been launched to address misconceptions around fostering and provide crucial support to prospective carers when they need it most. With this new drive the close-knit North East region is coming together to ensure every child gets the love and care they deserve. For the first time, anyone considering fostering in the North East will benefit from a united support hub for prospective foster carers, with help available every step of the way." 

 

Nothing quite explains fostering as well as our foster carers themselves, so here we meet Northumberland mum Leigh who shares what led her to fostering, the benefits it has brought her family and the necessity for self-care and a strong support network when your role is centred around meeting the needs of the children you look after.