Overview: Exploring the critical role of long-term fostering in Newcastle and the North East. Plus, sharing regional fostering facts and information about the matching process to help you better understand fostering and if it’s right for you.
In the North East region, we need safe and stable nurturing homes for children, young people and sibling groups. Right now, we need foster carers for all types of fostering. In this post, we’re looking at the demand for long-term fostering in the North East. We will also share statistics behind the growing need for safe, welcoming places for our young people to stay when they’re unable to return home. Matching is the process that helps us find homes that are right for the children and young people in our area. We’ll look at how this process is used to find those safe places where young people can not only live but find role models to help them thrive.
What is long-term fostering?
When children and young people come into foster care it’s usually on a temporary basis when they can’t stay at home for a variety of reasons. Where children cannot safely return home but their family remain part of their lives, we look for suitable long-term foster placements. The aim is to find somewhere children can enjoy stability and feel part of a family.
When long-term foster carers welcome a child or young person into their home, they may care for them for several years or right up until adulthood. One of the most significant benefits of long-term fostering is the ability to build long-term bonds. When you provide day-to-day care for the children living with you, you get to share in special moments, watching them learn and grow.
What is a long-term fostering matching report?
A matching report documents the process of matching a child or young person with prospective foster carers. The report plays a vital part in helping to identify suitable matches. By placing the child and their needs and characteristics at the centre of the process, we are likely to give children long-term stability. For each potential match, a report is created. It details the child’s age, gender, race, religion, and any particular emotional or health needs.
A matching report will also outline the child’s care plan and how any proposed foster carer(s) can accommodate it. It considers information such as the child or young person’s schools, activities. Any plans for maintaining contact with the child’s family and other important people in their lives are also outlined. The report documents the matching decision-making process. It details why this particular family is the right match for the child. When a potential foster family wishes to proceed with a match, it is presented to the local authority so they can decide if the match is right for the child.
Facts about long-term fostering in the North East
- According to Gov.uk, in 2022 there were 48,830 new foster care placements across the UK. One in five placements were 20 miles or more away from where the child previously lived, highlighting the need for more local foster carers.
- Right now, hundreds of children and young people across the North East are waiting to find the right home
- The Fostering Company has been supporting long-term foster carers in the North East region since 2013.
- Long-term foster carers who are part of The Fostering Company family benefit from 24/7 support from a small-knit team who know your family and your circumstances.
- Our head office is in Killingworth, but our foster carers, social workers and foster care support team work all over the North East. We support fostering families from all seven local authorities within the north east;
County Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle, Northumberland, North Tyneside, South Tyneside and Sunderland councils. We have strong roots in the region and extensive knowledge of the needs of our community. - As a long-term foster carer with the Fostering Company, you can expect to earn upwards of £392 per week, usually tax-free. You’ll receive additional fees if you care for more than one child.
- In the North East, approximately 4,000 children and young people live in foster care and more long-term foster carers are needed. (the Fostering Network, 2022)
- We run monthly support groups and training events each month. We also run activities for the whole family each school holiday and additional participation groups for children and young people. As The Fostering Company is also part of the Five Rivers Child Care family, foster carers and children also have opportunities to participate in national events.
- We provide free training for foster carers, including workshops at local venues and online and at-home training visits to suit you.
Is long-term fostering in Newcastle right for you?
There are some criteria you’ll need to meet to become a foster carer, such as having a spare bedroom for a child or young person. But the most important thing is that you’re passionate about making a difference to a child’s life.
To explore further whether long-term fostering is right for you and your family, you can learn about different types of fostering on our website. You can also read and hear what real-life North East foster families have to say about fostering with The Fostering Company. When you’re ready, get in touch to arrange a no-pressure chat with our carer enquiry team.