This Saturday saw us celebrating our annual foster

children’s awards at the company’s head office. This is one of the most eagerly anticipated and most joyful events on our annual calendar. And this year certainly didn’t disappoint. By the time everyone was settled in their chairs for things to get underway – a special treat was announced by Richard Carr, our Youth Participation Officer – the audience were to get a special vocal performance from our own ‘singing sensation’ Chloe. She has been benefiting hugely from attending the music production courses we have been running for children at our head office. Chloe also has a considerable talent as a songwriter and will be entering our song writing competition next year. Before her performance, however, there was the serious work of our special ‘Rainbow Quiz’ to be won. Devised and presented by Richard, there was no shortage of immediate and exuberant participation: in fact, as the general knowledge of our contestants proved so formidable, we needed our own version of ‘Hawkeye’ to see whose hand had shot up first. It is not an exaggeration to say that we could have done with a few slow motion action replays just to see which contestants arm hit the ceiling first. Ultimately, the challenge proved too much for our redoubtable quizmaster, and so our director, Aijaz, stepped into the breech to take on the risky job of deciding whose; amongst the forest of arms, had gone up first! Skirting controversy with all the skill of a contestant on ‘Strictly’, Aijaz maintained order so that by the time the interval came around, the competition was poised for a thrilling and hard fought conclusion. (And so it proved to be since all was to be settled by a thrilling tie break.) But before that, we were treated in the interval to a moving and highly professional performance from Chloe, who sang her version of “Hold Me”. Still only 17, this was her first live performance in front of an audience and she went; as they say, “down a storm”. She certainly didn’t display any nerves and so could well be destined for much bigger things. We applaud her talent – as well as her bravery – and wish her every success with her musical ambitions. Here is the chorus our talented Chloe wrote –

Feel me here

I may not be forever 

Pull me near 

Don’t hide me in the corner 

Let me be free

Foster care awards given for Achievement and Contribution

Back to the thrilling climax of our Quiz: the stakes were high with prizes to be won. Our ‘Eagle Eyed’ director, Aijaz, was under even more pressure to spot which hand shot up first. The tension mounted as the audience leaned forward in their seats. The result; could it have been any other way with such knowledgable contestants, was finally settled on a tie break in the form of a riddle! Then cue rapturous applause – which actually takes a lot of energy – so it was fortunate that here were plenty of refreshments on hand: The BBC’s Mastermind had nothing on this – except that most of the youngsters present seemed to share the ‘special subject’ of devouring the plentiful fare on offer as speedily as possible.

Then to the serious business of the awards themselves: these were given for ‘Achievement’, ‘Contribution’ and with one ‘Special Award’ nominated by foster children themselves. Aijaz seemed  relieved  to relinquish his role of ‘quiz adjudicator’ and assumed the definitely more relaxed mantle of ‘Master of Ceremonies’ to present the Awards. These we represented to some extremely talented and richly deserving youngsters. The only question that remained unanswered – and would probably have stumped our smart contestants – was how are we going to top this year’s awards for sheer excitement next year?

And the good news at the end of this particular rainbow…Chloe has told us she will be performing at our Foster Carer Awards this Christmas!

Rainbow keeping you up to date if you are a foster carer…

Foster care allowances to be reviewed in Scotland

September 12th, 2017

The Fostering Network, the leading charity, has just responded to an announcement by the Scottish Government of their intention to create a core group to:
“review foster, kinship and adoption allowances to bring forward proposals for national kinship care and foster care allowances in summer 2018.” The director The Fostering Network in Scotland is Sara Lurie: she remarked that this is something that the (cont) http://bit.ly/2e8PrIK

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