Gateshead foster carers celebrate ten-year milestone
Foster carers Carol and Paul are celebrating reaching their ten-year milestone since becoming approved carers with us.
In their time as carers, they have fostered fifty children in a wide range of ages from babies to aged 18, including sibling groups and mother and babies, alongside caring for their own birth children.
They have cared for children with varying needs, from a few hours childcare and short-term placements to long term placements and into adulthood.
Carol previously worked as an education welfare officer and in that role seen several children go into foster care. She had always wanted to be a foster carer and felt she too could help children such as these. So, when their own children were 5 and 10, they decided to take that step.
Carol said: "We chose to foster with Gateshead Council as we felt it was important that the children get to stay in their own communities, to remain at the same school, with their friends and not have more upheaval than they are already experiencing."
"Gateshead fostering team have been amazingly supportive to us over the years, they go above and beyond and the training available to carers is great giving us a real understanding of the children's perspective in order to support them more."
Carol and Paul feel that the most enjoyable aspects of fostering have been seeing improvements in the children's lives such as progressing at school or learning to swim and enjoying fun days out and holidays.
Paul, who has worked as a teacher for several years, has a vast amount of experience working with children of different ages. He now works part time so he can spend more time dedicated to supporting the children in their care.
He said: "If anyone is considering fostering, I would say go ahead and do it if you feel you can. You need to have time, patience and understanding and it is not all easy as you need to be committed 24/7 and there can be difficult times as many of the children have had traumatic experiences and need you to provide stability. Over time you do build knowledge and the support groups with other foster carers really help you."
Carol and Paul are Gateshead Fostering's first Mockingbird Hub Carers. They provide advice, support, sleep overs, and organise training and social events for others in the group.
We are currently looking for new foster carers in the area. To foster a child, you need to be 21 or over and have the patience and time to dedicate to children that you care for. We look for foster carers from all backgrounds, including from the LGBTQ+ community, single people, and couples. You can be a homeowner or renting and need to be able to provide a supportive, safe, and caring home.
If you feel you could make a difference to a child's life, visit our fostering webpages or speak to one of our fostering team on 0191 433 8333.
Foster carers Carol and Paul are celebrating reaching their ten-year milestone since becoming approved carers with us.
In their time as carers, they have fostered fifty children in a wide range of ages from babies to aged 18, including sibling groups and mother and babies, alongside caring for their own birth children.
They have cared for children with varying needs, from a few hours childcare and short-term placements to long term placements and into adulthood.
Carol previously worked as an education welfare officer and in that role seen several children go into foster care. She had always wanted to be a foster carer and felt she too could help children such as these. So, when their own children were 5 and 10, they decided to take that step.
Carol said: "We chose to foster with Gateshead Council as we felt it was important that the children get to stay in their own communities, to remain at the same school, with their friends and not have more upheaval than they are already experiencing."
"Gateshead fostering team have been amazingly supportive to us over the years, they go above and beyond and the training available to carers is great giving us a real understanding of the children's perspective in order to support them more."
Carol and Paul feel that the most enjoyable aspects of fostering have been seeing improvements in the children's lives such as progressing at school or learning to swim and enjoying fun days out and holidays.
Paul, who has worked as a teacher for several years, has a vast amount of experience working with children of different ages. He now works part time so he can spend more time dedicated to supporting the children in their care.
He said: "If anyone is considering fostering, I would say go ahead and do it if you feel you can. You need to have time, patience and understanding and it is not all easy as you need to be committed 24/7 and there can be difficult times as many of the children have had traumatic experiences and need you to provide stability. Over time you do build knowledge and the support groups with other foster carers really help you."
Carol and Paul are Gateshead Fostering's first Mockingbird Hub Carers. They provide advice, support, sleep overs, and organise training and social events for others in the group.
We are currently looking for new foster carers in the area. To foster a child, you need to be 21 or over and have the patience and time to dedicate to children that you care for. We look for foster carers from all backgrounds, including from the LGBTQ+ community, single people, and couples. You can be a homeowner or renting and need to be able to provide a supportive, safe, and caring home.
If you feel you could make a difference to a child's life, visit our fostering webpages or speak to one of our fostering team on 0191 433 8333.
