How play helps foster children heal and move on ..read more

The benefits of taking foster children with you on holiday ..read more

‘I interviewed stars and prime ministers but nothing compares to fostering ..read more

The benefits of taking foster children with you on holiday ..read more

Play is universal across mammals with a big role in learning and development, especially in children. For younger foster children, who might have experienced abuse or neglect, play is an important part of healing. It’s an aspect of therapeutic fostering where foster carers can provide support. What is therapeutic play? Ella Booth is a Supervising Social Worker (SSW) at Fostering Solutions North West, one of our local agencies that supports fostering in Liverpool and the surrounding areas (Fostering Solutions has a total of 4 teams across England). As an SSW, Ella builds close relationships wi ..read more

With more than half of UK households (62%) owning a pet, according to the World Animal Foundation – and around 13 million pet dogs and 12 million pet cats in this country – it’s no surprise that one of the questions we get asked most often at National Fostering Group is whether it’s possible to foster with pets. Not only is it possible, but having a pet in the house can actually benefit foster children and help them feel more comfortable in their foster home. Of course, this is providing that the right checks have been carried out on the pets and that children and foster families are properly ..read more

With more than half of UK households (62%) owning a pet, according to the World Animal Foundation – and around 13 million pet dogs and 12 million pet cats in this country – it’s no surprise that one of the questions we get asked most often at National Fostering Group is whether it’s possible to foster with pets. Not only is it possible, but having a pet in the house can actually benefit foster children and help them feel more comfortable in their foster home. Of course, this is providing that the right checks have been carried out on the pets and that children and foster families are properly ..read more

Linda Sylvester, Therapeutic Life Story Worker at Alpha Plus Fostering A new initiative is about to launch in the North West that will help foster carers support children in their care as they discover who they are, understand their past, and begin to heal. Run by Linda Sylvester at our Alpha Plus Fostering agency, it will build on a programme – Therapeutic Life Story – that has already had a significant impact on the recovery, relationships and behaviours of foster children. Currently, every child who arrives at their new foster home is given a welcome box by their Alpha Plus social worker ..read more

The team at NFA Scotland If you’re thinking of fostering in Scotland, Pam Coombs-Goodfellow will be one of the first people you talk to. Pam is a Carer Recruitment Officer (CRO) supporting potential foster carers from the Highlands to the Lowlands. Pam has worked in fostering for 4 years and is an adoptive mum of 2 children (11 and 15), so she really gets it. The team she works with at NFA Scotland are all experienced fostering professionals; some have fostered or adopted too. They pride themselves at their ability to ‘think outside the box’. “We are a wonderful team and we help create littl ..read more

Fostering isn’t about numbers, it’s about people. Saying that, sometimes the data tells a story that’s inspiring in its own right. NFA Midlands, for example, is our largest fostering team outside London. Headquartered in Solihull, it covers 2 regions – East Midlands and West Midlands incorporating towns and cities across 11 counties. It’s a 40-strong team that supports 221 families fostering in Birmingham and the surrounding areas, plus 100s of foster children. The agency team comprises an admin team, Carer Recruitment Officers, Supervising Social Workers, Carer Support Workers and a host of o ..read more