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Update from the Executive Director of Children's Services

Published

Dear Councillors,

You will remember Council Motion 927, passed at the County Council meeting of 13th September 2023, in support of fostering in the county.

 

The motion set out that whilst, ‘…the responsibility for recruiting and retaining Foster Carers sits with Officers within the Council… Councillors (as corporate parents) can assist by:

  • Sharing information on foster carer recruitment across all of our networks so that we can ensure the message gets out countywide across a variety of platforms. This can include:
  • Sharing information about foster recruitment on social media

Facebook: Gloucestershire Fostering

X (Formerly Twitter): GlosFoster @FosteringGlos

  • Adding a link to https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/fostering/ onto your email signature
  • Adding a section on foster recruitment to local newsletters/ updates if this is appropriate, and not attached to any party political messaging  
  • Sharing information on foster recruitment with parish and town councils, local schools and religious venues so that these groups can also help to disseminate information.
  • Writing to district councillor colleagues and members of parliament to ask them to share this information on their social media too, to ensure that the message gets out as wide as possible GCC_2786 Fostering Generic A4 Poster_AW.pdf (govdelivery.com)

 

To assist you in disseminating the latest information on fostering, it may be helpful for you to:

 

  • Sign up for the latest fostering information, using the following link: Fostering | Fostering (gloucestershire.gov.uk) and choosing ‘sign up for email alerts’ at the top of the page. You will then receive up-to-date information about our fostering information sessions, the latest community events that we’ll be attending and more, to help you promote fostering and keep your networks and communities up-to-date.  

 

  • Use the banner at the end of this update in your newsletters or signature strip

 

  • Include the following information on why it’s better to foster for Gloucestershire:  

 Why Foster with Gloucestershire County Council?

  • Gloucestershire County Council’s fostering service is entirely not for profit and always has the child’s best interests at heart. For more information on this, visit www.fosterwithyourcouncil.uk.
  • You’ll be helping local Gloucestershire children stay in their communities. This means they can go to the same school, see their friends and have contact with their families if it’s safe to do so.
  • All children who come into care in Gloucestershire are the responsibility of the county council and we usually look to our own foster carers first to find a local home for them.
  • You'll gradually build your skills and knowledge with support and training that is based in Gloucestershire, so you won’t have to travel out of county for these. You'll also have access to a comprehensive programme of online learning and support, including out of hours support.
  • All the professionals supporting you and the child work for Gloucestershire County Council's children’s services.
  • When you foster for GCC, you’ll join a friendly and supportive fostering community that meets regularly to share information and learn from each other. You’ll be connected to other carers in your area, giving you a local support network. You'll have a choice of 10 local support groups to attend, at a time to suit you.
  • You’ll be invited to social events, like the annual family fun day and the foster carers’ appreciation evening and will have access to discounts with local businesses.

With best wishes

Ann James

Director of Children’s Services