Foster carers routinely experience the insecurity and unhappiness of vulnerable children. The abuse and disruption to what most would consider normal life that has been visited on so many children in the care system, is well known to all involved in fostering. The Children’s Society has released a report revealing the damage that has, and continues to be done to our children’s Wellbeing. This blog series will be looking in detail at what is vital to us all: the health, happiness and wellbeing of our children. 

Background.

Foster carers, parents – in fact everyone in society – have to recognise the importance of our children’s wellbeing. The obvious point is that as the next generation, their health and happiness will shape the future health and happiness of society. That makes it a priority superseding all others. If the wellbeing of our young people is seriously compromised, the negative effects flowing from that will be wide-ranging and far-reaching. All of us will be detrimentally affected because our future general economic wellbeing will be significantly impacted. Those with a responsibility for children want them to be happy. Clearly that includes parents – as well as foster carers. It is a natural impulse and when there is collective sense our children’s wellbeing is compromised it creates unease. And we should all feel discomfited by this, the latest report from The Children’s Society – ‘The Good Childhood Report’. 

It needs to be recognised this all hasn’t happened out of the blue. The times we are living through – and this sounds a well-worn cliche – really are unique. There hasn’t been a pandemic in decades and no one could have imagined there being one before Covid struck. War in Europe – something quite unimaginable only a year ago – is now raging. There is also now a cost of living crisis which is destabilising our politics and economic wellbeing whilst threatening the global economy. To cap it all, the Queen who was the mainstay and foundation of so much of our national life and identity, has died. That it was expected; given her age, did not lessen the shock. It followed all the other shocks that have convulsed the country in a very short space of time. To say we are in uncharted territory is an understatement. There is a collective sense of having been cast adrift which causes adults to become stressed which is something that affects children. 

This, then, is the background to this important series. We have reached a point in time that is a watershed moment. Families are under pressure as never before. That has the most serious consequences. Already it has been suggested that as many as 100,00 children could be in the care system by 2025 just as it is proving ever harder to recruit new foster carers. Supporting families and understanding the dynamics that impact on the wellbeing of children has to be the focus of all of us. Parents and foster carers may think they are concealing their stress, but a recent report indicates young people pick up on this and become stressed themselves. 

Mental health issues as they impact on children and young people are further explored at – https://www.youngminds.org.uk/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgK2viMGo-gIVgbTtCh1hrQRFEAAYAiAAEgKOVfD_BwE

Call 0330 311 2845 to become a foster carer.

Rainbow is a fostering agency rated ‘Outstanding in all areas’ by Ofsted. To foster, you must be over the age of 21 and have a spare room. Whatever your status – married, gay, divorced, single, or cohabiting you can foster. And anyone can foster whatever their sexual orientation, ethnicity, or cultural background. 

Visiting our websites FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) page has the answers to questions we receive about fostering. This helpful resource can be found at –  https://rainbowfostering.co.uk/frequent-asked-questions/ We examine the rich and varied world of fostering in the numerous topics explored in our website’s blog section – this aims to be a knowledge bank for anyone involved in fostering or interested in the issues surrounding it. https://rainbowfostering.co.uk/social-media-need-to-foster-perspective/

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