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Julie's Feature as printed in the Village Directory

Julie writes to Prospective Fostering Families in Kent

Submitted by fosteringtogether on 10 August 2023

We've had another lovely feature from Foster Carer Julie in the Village Directory in Kent, talking about how she made the choice of Independent Fostering Service, having transferred her fostering registration to Fostering Together in 2021 when we were a very new service!

 

"Community and Support are Crucial When Choosing a Fostering Agency"

 

Choosing the right fostering service for you is an important decision whether you are already fostering and looking to transfer, or on the way to becoming an approved foster carer. People tend to choose independent fostering agencies like Fostering Together because they work closely with their foster carers, ensuring they get the guidance and support needed at every stage of their fostering journey. Here Julie, who lives on the Marsh, shares her story of choosing the right fostering agency for her:

“For us as a family, fostering was the best decision we ever made. Our quality of life is so much better than before. It has enabled me to work in the home and has given me a great sense of accomplishment; I know that I have impacted hugely on young people's lives.

One of boys I care for looks at me with this wonderful expression. I know I'm the most important person in his life and that feels incredible!

Our family transferred to Fostering Together because we had been with another agency, but they lost their focus. We chose Fostering Together specifically because of their clear focus on the child and on the family, and their willingness to work with us and understand our needs and what we wanted from a fostering agency.

It has been exciting being with Fostering Together since the beginning. There's been a lot of opportunity to impact on how the service is growing, how it's developing, and where the focus is. That's really important so that carers feel valued and, for the first time in a long time, I actually felt really recognised as a professional and that I do offer something, that I’m skilled at what I do, and have an agency genuinely welcoming my views.

Fostering Together’s staff are always available to help you and there is also increased levels of support and learning. I get exactly the training I need for the children that I look after. As a family we feel part of a team working together to help enrich the children's lives.

As well as formal support group meetings with the agency, we also have informal support that has developed within our network so that we can very comfortably phone somebody up and say ‘hey, what do you think about this?’

I am proud to be a foster carer with Fostering Together. They are a fantastic child-focussed agency who are supportive, approachable, and professional. I would 100% recommend them to any new carers and to those who are considering transferring.

For us as a family, fostering was the best decision we ever made. Anybody that's considering fostering should just make a phone call and speak to somebody or register their interest. No question is a silly question!”