Bullying Statistics UK 2021  Bullying is a serious problem in many schools and educational settings in the UK, with cyber bullying being a major cause for concern as internet access continues to increase. These bullying statistics cover how commonplace different types of bullying are in the UK, highlighting the areas in which bullying appears to be most and least pronounced.  How Common is Bullying in Schools in England?    To find out how common bullying is in schools in England, we conducted an analysis of government data showing permanent and fixed-period exclusions in E ..read more

As a parent or caregiver, your child going missing is likely to be one of your worst fears. Not knowing where they are or whether or not they’re safe can be heartbreaking, as unfortunately some parents and caregivers have had to experience. But how many children go missing each year? And are children in some parts of the UK more likely to go missing than others?    In this article, we share all of the most recent missing children statistics gathered from the government’s latest UK Missing Persons Unit Report. We also speak with counselor, Anita Lonsdale to find out what signs caregiv ..read more

Fostering Statistics UK 2020 Foster carers all over the UK provide children with safe, loving and supportive environments to help give them go on to lead happy and healthy lives. Fostering can have such a positive effect on the lives of many, and is an extremely rewarding experience for those who choose to foster a child.    In this article we share all of the most up-to-date fostering statistics about the number of children in care in the UK, peoples’ attitudes towards fostering and the areas with the highest percentage of children in foster care.  How many children are in fost ..read more

Somewhere hidden in this spooky halloween scene is a Witch’s hat… Can you find it?  Can you find the missing Witch’s hat?   With trick or treating and fancy dress parties being off the cards this year, we’ve created a fun Halloween-themed brain teaser to keep you entertained this weekend.   How long will it take you to find the Witch’s hat in this distracting Halloween scene filled with cats, ghosts, pumpkins and broomsticks?    Lisa Witter, manager at Perpetual Fostering said “We love a good brain teaser to lift our spirits and keep us entertained! The quickest person ..read more

Our foster cares come from all sorts of backgrounds, occupations and areas. They all have unique traits that make them great carers. But as different as they all are from one another, one common thing unites them – they’re all fantastic carers providing safe and secure environments for children and young people who most need them. We speak to people considering becoming foster carers every single day and one thing we notice is how many misconceptions that aspiring carers have heard about the process. So in this piece, we’ll separate the fact from the fiction and dispel common fostering myths ..read more

So, you’ve decided to apply to become a foster carer. You’ve weighed up the pros and cons of agencies vs local authority placement and decided to use an independent fostering agency. The next big decision is which one? When it comes to choosing the right private fostering agency, there are a number of criteria we think you should assess and we’ve outlined them here. What Support is Available? While fostering is incredibly rewarding, it can also be challenging at times. We really believe it’s important for carers to have the support of contacts within their agency. Sometimes, that means face to ..read more

Lockdown has made it much more difficult for our kids to stay as fit, healthy and active as usual. Lack of routine and structure, cancelled sports clubs and activities and easier access to the snack drawer could all be having a detrimental effect on the health and wellbeing of our children.  To find out how we can encourage our kids to form healthier eating habits and relationships with food, we spoke to Nutritionist Sam Travis. Sam is head of nutrition at Triple X Performance Centre and has over 15 years’ experience in Health, Fitness and Nutrition.  What type of snacks would y ..read more

The issues of race and anti-racism are in the forefront of our minds, none of us can have escaped the global impact of the killing of George Floyd, the raising of awareness and the mobilisation of support for the Black Lives Matter movement. Now appears to be the time to grasp this opportunity and consider how we, as parents, foster carers and caregivers, can make a difference too.  Now more than ever it is important we think about how we talk to our children about race and racism. For many of us, of course, this is not a new discussion and may well have been shaped by our own family ..read more

A letter from the Secretary of State for Education, Gavin Williamson and the Minister for Children, Vicky Ford was released on the 12th May to thank foster carers for all they do across the country.  View The Letter Here (opens in a new window) Tens of thousands of foster carers around the UK are continuing to make a difference to the lives of young people in our society, even with the difficulties that COVID-19 has brought us.  Our foster carers have been going above and beyond during this period of uncertainty. The resilience, strength and courage they’ve shown over the last few mo ..read more

The recent school closures and lockdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic have really hit hard for parents all over the world. We understand how difficult it can be to juggle parenting, housework, taking on teaching responsibilities and managing your finances all at once. That’s why we spoke to education specialist and former Headteacher, Paula Moses, who has worked with primary aged children for the last fifteen years to find out what she thinks is the best way to occupy your children during lockdown.    ‘What advice do you have for parents who are currently under lockdown with their children ..read more