What is fostering? What is Fostering? Fostering is simply caring for a young person who is currently in the care system in your own home. Children who are looked after enter the care system for several reasons, most of which are not their own fault. They can range in age from very young babies to teenagers who are about to enter adulthood. As a foster parent, you must provide the child or children put in your care with support so they may make life decisions and acquire the skills they will need to one day live independently. These children occasionally have no prior family life experience and ..read more

As parents and caregivers, we all want our children to grow up healthy and happy. A key component of emotional health is being able to express and understand one’s own feelings. Unfortunately, many children struggle to communicate their emotions effectively. Here are some strategies for getting children to open up and talk about their feelings. Create a safe and supportive environment Children are more likely to share their feelings if they feel safe and supported. It is important to create an environment where children feel comfortable expressing themselves without fear of judgement or critic ..read more

If fostering has been on your mind and you are considering becoming a Foster Carer; you might be asking, ‘is fostering for me?’. To help you answer that question, we’ve put together this helpful blog post. Do you have a strong support system of friends and/or family? This is an important factor when considering becoming a Foster Carer, as fostering a child can become very stressful at times. There may be times when you feel you just need to get things off your chest; and whilst your Supervising Social Worker is there for you, you may feel more comfortable venting your stress with friends/famil ..read more

Foster Care Fortnight 2023 is The Fostering Network‘s campaign to help raise the profile of fostering in the UK. This year, it will take place from Monday 15th to Sunday 28th May. This years theme for FCF is ‘Fostering Communities’. This years theme is the same as last years as a huge amount of positive feedback was given as members felt that the theme gave them an opportunity to shine a light on fostering. We want the general public to appreciate and comprehend fostering and the beneficial impact it can have on young people’s lives. With more people becoming aware of the issue, we h ..read more

This week (20th – 24th March) is Social Work Week 2023 and the perfect time to celebrate our amazing Social Workers here at Lorimer. Charlene is a Student Social Worker who has recently joined Lorimer on her final placement. She has kindly put together this blog post about her journey to becoming a Social Worker. We would like to say a HUGE thank you to Charlene for sharing her story with us. Read all about Charlene’s experiences below! My Journey to Becoming a Social Worker After being brought up on the most known council estate in my hometown, in poverty, whilst dealing with my father who wa ..read more

One of the most important steps in the fostering process is helping your foster child get settled in your home. You want their stay to be as encouraging and beneficial as it possibly can be; so the sooner they get settled the better. Here are our 5 top tips for helping your foster child feel as comfortable in your home as possible… Create a friendly environment If the space your foster child is in makes them feel comfortable and safe, they will quickly settle in. It’s important they have this space in which they can relax and spend some time on their own. One good idea is to keep the space ne ..read more

This week (6th – 12th February) is Children’s Mental Health Week; and we’re proud to be supporting the annual campaign run by Place2Be. Place2Be is the UK’s leading provider of school-based mental health support. They launched the first campaign back in 2015 to help shine a spotlight on the importance of children and young people’s mental health. The theme for this years campaign is ‘Let’s Connect’. Let’s Connect is about making meaningful connections for all, during Children’s Mental Health Week – and beyond. People thrive in communities, and this connection is vital for our wellbe ..read more

Why is Healthy Eating Important? There are many reasons why healthy eating is important for children. Here are just a few of them: Supports growth and development: Proper nutrition provides the nutrients needed for children to grow and develop physically and mentally. Promotes a healthy weight: A balanced diet helps children maintain a healthy weight and reduce their risk of obesity and associated health problems. Boosts immunity: A diet rich in vitamins and minerals helps boost children’s immunity, helping them fight off illness and disease. Improves focus and concentration: Eating a balance ..read more

Every year here at Lorimer Fostering we hold a ‘Design your own Christmas Card’ competition for children and young people to get involved with; and this year was no exception! The Christmas card competition 2022 was open to both looked after foster children and birth children alike and we judged it in two categories; 11 years and younger & 12+ years. There is one winner for each category and each winner receives Love2Shop vouchers as well as printed cards with their own designs on; to send out to their family and friends. We also use the designs for our own Christmas cards which are sent t ..read more

FOSTERING A CHILD IN 2023 Are you think about fostering a child in 2023? Welcoming a foster child into your home is a massive step and a huge commitment; so it’s really important that you take some time to consider whether fostering is right for you and your family. It takes a huge amount of courage to start the fostering journey, but once you have, you won’t regret it. The feeling of helping to change a child’s life is likely to be like nothing else you have ever experienced. Here at Lorimer, we support each person who wants to change a child’s life for the better. So, if you’re thinking abou ..read more