All About Fostering

We catch up with a foster carer to hear her experiences of securing a mortgage and staff from The Mortgage Brain give us an insight into how they guide foster carers through the mortgage application process.

We catch up with some windswept walkers and a pair of phenomenal 50k fundraisers who tell us why they have been raising money for The Fostering Network. We also outline some simple (non-energetic) ways you can get involved and support fostering. To support Louise and Louis with their ultra marathon please go to justgiving.com/fundraising/louis-hylands7.

We kick off Sons and Daughters Month 2019 by talking to Lydia and Roma Bright about their experiences growing up in a fostering household as well as outlining our campaign and how you can get involved in our competition. More at: thefosteringnetwork.org.uk/podcasts and thefosteringnetwork.org.uk/sanddm

We discuss our Keep Connected campaign and hear from a foster carer about her attempt to keep in contact with her former fostered child as well as talking to two social workers, who were themselves in foster care, about the extent to which care experienced children are encouraged to maintain their important relationships when they move on.

We take a look at the impact of our Walking Tall project in Scotland and hear from some of the young people who took part. For more information visit thefosteringnetwork.org.uk/walkingtall

We discuss our State of the Nation's Foster Care report and some of the key findings and recommendations. Read the full report at thefosteringnetwork.org.uk/sotn

We discuss The Fostering Network's latest report - Staying Put: An Unfulfilled Promise - which looks at Staying Put legislation four years on from its introduction in England to see how well it is enabling care experienced young people to remain living with their former foster family.

We discuss our 2018 State of the Nation's Foster Care survey which canvasses foster carers' opinions of the current fostering landscape. thefosteringnetwork.org.uk/sotn

We hear about what it is like to receive an award from a previous winner and the person who nominated them. Music: "Heartwarming" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

We find out a little more about the nominations process for The Fostering Network's annual Fostering Excellence Awards and hear about what it is like to receive an award from a previous winner and the person who nominated them. Music: "Heartwarming" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Chief executive of The Fostering Network, Kevin Williams, shares the charity's response to the fostering stocktake in England report, published in February 2018. Kevin discusses fostering as a permanent option as well as the status and representation of foster carers. Music: "Heartwarming" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

We speak to young people in post 18 placements as well as Staying Put carers to find out how recent legislation is being implamented. Read more about the various post 18 provisions around the UK. Music: "Heartwarming" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Back in 2017 we visited Stockport to hear the thoughts of fostering service staff and foster carers on being a part of Mockingbird. Stockport Council was one of the eight original pilot sites for the programme which began in 2015. To know more about the programme in Stockport read our blog, and for further details on the programme visit our Mockingbird webpage. Music: "Heartwarming" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

The Fostering Network recently conducted a survey of foster carers about their pay. This podcast explores the findings of the survey with The Fostering Network's director of communications and public affairs Jackie Sanders. Music: "Heartwarming" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

An interview with The Fostering Network's campaign's manager, Vicki Swain, about the priorities for the new children's minister in England and our current campaigns. Music: "Sweet" - Bensound.com