News

Fostering unaccompanied asylum seeking children
Thursday 8 November 2018

Children who arrive in the UK without their parents or carers usually go into the care of their nearest public authority and will often live with approved foster carers when there is no suitable family member or guardian to care for them.

These children are not being removed from their homes by local authorities; they are leaving their home country desperately seeking shelter and protection from war, oppression or civil unrest

Fostering unaccompanied asylum seeking children is a specialist area of fostering, that can can be incredibly rewarding in it's own unique way.

Two foster carers tell us how the right support and flexibility has made working and fostering possible for them
Wednesday 7 November 2018

 

Becoming a foster carer does not have to mean giving up employment and that certainly hasn’t been the case for Darren and Fiona, who both work full time and foster school age children.

Fiona works for Brighton & Hove City Council and is supported to work flexible hours. “I can log in on my lap top at 7 o’clock at night, or at the weekend. I’m not set to a rigid 9-5 schedule.”

Darren works privately for a firm that also offers him the flexibility to work evenings and weekends.

Outstanding contribution celebrated at Fostering Excellence Awards 2018
Monday 29 October 2018

 

October is Son's and Daughter's Month. The Fostering Network’s annual campaign to celebrate the vital contribution that the children of foster carers make to foster care.

So we were bursting with pride this week when it was announced that a daughter of one of our Brighton & Hove foster families had won an Outstanding Contribution by Sons and Daughters Award at The Fostering Network's Fostering Excellence Awards. The award was presented to Nia at a formal ceremony by Jacqueline Wilson, author of the Tracy Beaker series. 

Being a police officer has given me the skills and grounding to help the children we foster
Tuesday 2 October 2018

There is an increasing number of children and young people in Brighton & Hove who need support, care and a loving family home. As numbers grow, so does the need for excellent foster carers, and Brighton & Hove City Council believe Police Officers have what it takes.

PC Roger Pearson has worked as a Police Officer for 18 years. He spent five years neighbourhood policing in London before moving to Sussex where he now works in the Gatwick Response Team.

Becoming a foster carer and making a difference to the lives of children who need support
Tuesday 3 July 2018

Becoming a foster carer is a big decision, and the assessment process can seem daunting. We chat to Sarah, 30, and her wife Gemma, 32, who have been fostering mixed race siblings with Brighton and Hove City Council for a year. They have never felt like they are on their own. 

Why did you want to become Foster Carers?

We have talked about fostering since the day we met. Both our families have fostered, so fostering is something we’ve grown up with. Once we had married, found our flat, and settled down, we thought it’s now or never.