Sonia’s Story: Why I chose to become a short term foster carer
Sonia is a single foster carer who has been fostering for 20 years.
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Support throughout your fostering journey
From first enquiry, through to assessment, approval and beyond, our dedicated team will be there to support you every step of the way on your pathway to fostering.
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We’re proud of the extensive, personalised support we offer all of our carers. During your application to become a foster carer with Fostering Rotherham, you will have access to:
A dedicated Social Worker
You will be paired with a dedicated and highly experienced Social Worker who will make sure you feel supported every step of the way. If you feel you need advice or you’re struggling, your Social Worker is there to help.
An induction programme
Before final approval as a foster carer, you will join our training programmes to teach you the skills you need to foster. Once you are approved, you’ll receive a personalised development plan to further your skills and goals.
A dedicated home match team
Our fostering home match team handles all home matches and referrals, but their hard work doesn't stop there. They also handle day care, teatime matches and sleepovers for whenever a child in care needs them.
Monthly support groups
Fostering Rotherham runs regular, specialised support groups so that you can engage with local foster carers, get advice and make friends. You’ll also receive a ‘buddy’ with similar interests to help you settle into your new role.
Mockingbird is a model of support system for foster families in the form of one central ‘Mockingbird hub’, another foster home, which provides a safe place for children in care for planned and emergency sleepovers, or short breaks, as well as support and advice on any matters relating to fostering.
When you become a foster carer with Fostering Rotherham, we’ll personally introduce you to the Mockingbird hub carer in your area so you can begin meeting new carers straight away.
Currently we have 1 local Mockingbird hub in Rotherham. We are also planning to expand our Mockingbird hubs across the Rotherham area to provide support for even more fostering families.
We have a local Mockingbird hub in Rotherham to support families
No matter how experienced, our carers receive ongoing, tailored support to make sure they can continue to make a difference to the lives of children in their community.
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Membership to The Fostering Network, a nationwide family of foster carers.
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Bi-monthly forums with expert speakers and recognition awards to recognise hard work
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Regular meet and greets with our fostering community.
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Sessions with our in-house therapeutic support team, which help to strengthen relationships and meet the needs of children in care.
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Regular local training to help you be the best carer you can be.
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Foster carers will also receive a Rothercard and Max Card, which give discounts at local and national attractions and activities.
Contact Sarah from the Fostering Rotherham team for an informal, no obligation chat to learn more about fostering in Rotherham
When you transfer to Fostering Rotherham, you are helping to reinvest time and resources into helping more local children in care and continuously improving the community we love.
We know that being a foster carer can be challenging, but you’re never alone as a carer for Fostering Rotherham. Our fostering team and community will be there to support you every step of the way, plus we have a whole host of support to help you if things get tough. You can access help from:
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Your social worker will work closely with you to ensure both you and your children in care are happy throughout their time with you, but there are likely to be ups and downs. If you’re struggling, you can work with our teams to assess the situation and come up with a plan to move forward.
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Our therapeutic team is dedicated to strengthening the stability of a home match and preventing it from breaking down.
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You will have access to specialised training and support resources to equip you with the skills to deal with difficult situations.
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