What Does Fostering Actually Involve Day to Day?
Most of fostering looks like ordinary family life: school runs, shared meals, homework at the kitchen table. An honest picture of what a foster carer does from one day to the next.
Do Foster Carers Pay Tax? Qualifying Care Relief Explained
Tax is the part of fostering people worry about most, and it turns out to be simpler than they fear. A plain-English guide to Qualifying Care Relief, and why most carers pay little or nothing.
Starting Your Journey as a Foster Carer: What to Expect After Approval
What actually happens once you are approved: the induction, the first placement, the meetings, and the team of people whose job is to support you as well as the child.
How Foster Carers Support Children at School
School can be the place a child in care feels most exposed. How foster carers work with teachers and the wider team to help a child feel settled enough to learn.
Understanding Behaviours
Every child and young person can present with a behaviour which is hard to understand, manage and change. This article will look at some common factors that have an impact on behaviour. However, each child is unique, so don’t make assumptions or jump to conclusions. Think carefully about the specific child and consider whether any […]
Celebrating fostering at Parliament
I was delighted to be invited to a parliamentary reception on Wednesday, on behalf of Positive Aspirations, to celebrate the success of foster carers and fostering in the independent section. At the even a new report was launched, we highlights the impact that IFA foster carers, and the support around them makes to children. It was an amazing […]
Why matching and placement stability are important
The more children move from fostering families to another, the more their ability to form secure attachments is impacted. Every broken attachment impacts throughout an individual’s life; their ability to trust others and their ability to form secure adult relationships. When thinking about children looked after, I always think it is important for foster carers to […]
The Guardian 27/8/24 : “500 children a day are referred to mental health services in England”
The Guardian has published a news story on the number of children referred to NHS mental health services for anxiety in England since the Coronavirus pandemic. Their investigation explored referrals where the primary cause was anxiety. More than 500 children a day in England are being referred to NHS mental health services for anxiety, more than double the rate […]
Instagram boosts privacy and parental control on teen accounts
It may be useful to alert Foster Carers to this, and/or to open up /have a discussion with young people directly. Instagram is overhauling the way it works for teenagers, promising more “built-in protections” for young people and added controls and reassurance for parents. The new “teen accounts” were introduced in the UK 17/9/24. They turn […]
Why Somatic Awareness Matters
Have you ever walked into a room and instantly felt tense, even though nothing seemed wrong? Or snapped at a colleague without realising you were carrying stress from an earlier situation? This isn’t just about mood—it’s about how our bodies process and hold on to experiences. Dr. Sorcha Mathews’ engaging session, “The Child Who Mistook a Smile […]