I’ve now watched all 3 episodes of the BBC 1 documentary 3 girls. I think ‘emotional journey’ sums up the experience quite well. I’ve also spent over 14 years reading referrals of children ‘prostituting’ themselves and of children being at risk of grooming and sexual exploitation from a system that didn’t seem to think it…
Another year passes and another Mother’s Day sneaks upon me in which I have to ponder who’s going to get my attention first. Is it my Mother or is it my wife for whom her 10-year-old daughter will need some help from Daddy to go out and get something to show her affection? I am…
I had not done anything wrong. I was a normal teenager but my parents couldn’t deal with that. My mother had mental health problems which she still struggles with and she would constantly lie to my father about things I had said or done. I had two younger brothers, one of which was severely disabled.…
8.45: It’s a Monday morning and the first thing I do is send an email to all the social workers as a last check for any movements in placements which have happened over the weekend or in the last week. 8.50: I complete the compiling of our accounting form for the last week. This means…
Editors Note: The following poem is written by a care leaver about self harm. The butterflies are the blades. This is not a glorification of self harm but one person’s representation of her personal experience. Broken Butterflies fly away into the dark flutter your wings to hide all your scars fly through the thorns to…
“UK Fostering is an independent fostering agency and was set up by a team of dedicated professionals who are passionate about changing the lives of children. We provide children and local authorities with fully trained, compassionate and competent foster care, when they need it most. Together, we quite literally change lives.“
It can sometimes take but one moment in time to stir the soul. One image to encapsulate a reality that for many they had not seen and for others they did not want to see. Chances are if you are reading this, you use some form of social media. If you do, you will no…
One evening several years ago my wife and I were watching a television programme about kids and my wife spoke about her aunt who had fostered and how she always wanted to do this. My brother was fostered then adopted so it was in my background so I said we can look into it when…
Fostering vulnerable youngsters For over 20 years now I have had the great privilege to temporarily become part of numerous children’s and young people’s lives either as a respite foster carer, or in my work as a family support and parenting worker for Children’s Services, NSPCC, Barnardos , Survive and Wish for a Brighter Future,…
Following the latest proposal by the current government which could, as a result, find social workers at risk of being imprisoned if found guilty of willful neglect, I thought to myself ‘that’s a bit radical, what are they thinking?’ As I’ve pondered on it for the last few days I’ve come to the conclusion that…