Minister visits new Foster for East Midlands regional hub
Published: 24 May 2024
Minister David Johnston with foster carers and the Foster for East Midlands team
A new regional fostering recruitment hub has been showcased during a visit by a Government minister.
David Johnston OBE MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Children, Families and Wellbeing) met foster carers and team members at an event held to celebrate Foster for East Midlands’ launch. Held at the Museum of Making in Derby city centre, the event outlined the story of the hub so far and shared its initial successes.
Foster for East Midlands is a collaboration between councils in Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. It means anyone considering becoming a foster carer across the four areas can access a single support hub to make an initial enquiry or to receive advice or guidance about foster care.
The four authorities successfully applied last year to join the Department for Education’s Fostering Recruitment and Retention programme and secured £1.626m in government funding. The funding will also help improve the support available for existing foster carers across the region, helping them to create loving, stable homes for children who need them.
At the end of March this year, there were 3,314 children in care across the Foster for East Midlands area, while there were 592 approved foster carers. It is hoped the new recruitment hub will boost that number so there are more carers available in children’s own communities, meaning less young people would need to be placed in unfamiliar areas.
Since the hub launched eight weeks ago, the team has received 292 enquiries from potential foster carers, 17 of which have already progressed to full applications.
Derby City Council is leading on the Foster for East Midlands project, receiving the funding to implement the regional hub and create a ‘Mockingbird constellation’ in each local authority area. Mockingbird aims to nurture relationships between cared for children, young people and foster families by bringing together six to ten fostering families who act as an extended family, providing vital support.
Councillor John Whitby, Derby City Council Cabinet Member for Children’s Social Care, Learning and Skills – who is also a foster carer himself – said:
It was a pleasure to welcome the Minister to Derby so we could share Foster for East Midlands’ story so far. It’s an excellent example of collaboration between the four authorities and it’s already off to a remarkable start in terms of enquiries and applications.
The aim of the recruitment hub is to make it easier than ever to apply to become a foster carer. It’s critical that we attract more foster carers across the area so more young people in need will have access to stable, loving homes in their own local communities.
Paula Hancock and her husband Andy have been fostering for Nottinghamshire County Council for nine years. Under the new programme, they have become Mockingbird Home Hub carers. Paula said:
We love the ethos of Mockingbird, which is ‘it takes a village to raise a child’. It’s like an extended family for the children, helping them build relationships and, importantly, normalise fostering. It will help carers and children to feel less isolated. Foster carers can share their experiences with one another and feel part of a support network.
It sounds like a cliché, but fostering really is so rewarding. The range of children in the constellation is really diverse and we’re looking forward to building relationships with them and the foster families.
Foster carers Sarah and Graham Pyman at the celebration event
Graham and Sarah Pyman have been fostering with Derby City Council for nine years. The couple have four children of their own and have fostered around 25 children. Graham said:
Fostering is a great opportunity to make a real difference to a young person’s life. We’ve been involved in helping recruit foster carers and we’re really looking forward to what Foster for East Midlands is going to bring in the future. If there have been this many applications in eight weeks, what will it be in eight months, or eight years? We’re thrilled to be a part of it.
The Government is investing £36m into 10 regions across England to rollout new foster carer recruitment support hubs. The aim is ensure there are more foster carers available, ready to offer the right home, at the right time to children who need it, by extending recruitment campaigns, providing support through the application process and extending the support offer to current foster carers.
Following the visit, Minister Johnston said:
All foster carers are inspiring, and they change the lives of the children and young people they care for. Nearly three-quarters of children and young people in care in England are fostered, but we need more foster carers to look after them.
We urgently need more people from all walks of life, including in the East Midlands, to consider foster care and contact their local authority to explore how they can open their heart and home to a child or young person in need of support.
Fundamental to this challenge is the successful recruitment and retention of foster carers. That’s why we’re providing £36m to back local authorities across the country to boost the number of foster carers through establishing new recruitment support hubs, alongside strengthening support and training for existing foster carers.
To find out more about fostering, visit the Foster for East Midlands website or call 03033 132950. The recruitment team will offer support every step of the way. You can also book onto a Foster for East Midlands information event, which is a great way to find out more about fostering.
There are upcoming events on Thursday 30 May from 6:30pm until 8pm via Zoom, and Monday 10 June from 6pm to 7pm at The Bureau, Henry Street, Glossop, SK13 8BW.