The main role of a Foster Parent is to:

✓ Provide support and care - just like any normal parent would, Foster Parents are expected to do all they can to support children and young people in their education, health and social wellbeing. They will be on hand to teach them everyday personal and lifestyle skills just like any parent would.

✓ Attend meetings and manage information - Foster Parents need to attend regular meetings to ensure the welfare of a Fostered child is being met adequately in regards to their general progress along with their day-to-day care and any special educational or health needs. They will also have to keep records and manage confidential and sensitive information regarding the child.

✓ Manage behaviour - some looked-after children and young people may often have different behavioural issues which become apparent as a way of coping with certain experiences. A Foster Parent will need to be able to recognise these behaviours and needs and work with us to identify strategies to help a child manage their feelings and actions. We follow a fully therapeutic model of Foster parenting so you will have a 360degree package of support available to you.

✓ Manage relationships - it is important Foster Parents know how to effectively communicate with not only fostered children and young people but also a network of people including link workers, the By the Bridge team, birth families and anyone else who has an interest in the child's well-being.

✓ Attend training - we help all our Foster Parents to develop their skills and knowledge to build confidence and feel secure enough to look after a child or young person competently. We offer ongoing therapeutic Foster Parenting training to all our Foster Parents throughout their career.

For more information, contact us here to speak to our experienced team.