Taking care of your wellbeing
As a foster carer, you do such incredibly important and demanding work, therefore it is vital that you take care of your wellbeing. Thinking about your self-care, isn’t a luxury – it’s essential. Foster carers create safe, stable, and healing environments, which is fundamental to helping fostered children recover, grow, and thrive. It’s so important that […]
Online safety
NSPCC Learning has published a news story about the launch of Childline’s ‘Where We Stand’ videos. ‘Where We Stand’ is a four-part YouTube series showing how Childline can help young people navigate the online world. Influencers predict what teenagers really think about online life, covering issues such as AI, screen time and online safety. Professionals […]
A Child’s Life Online
Foster carers play a vital and increasingly complex role in supporting children to navigate their online lives safely. Especially as the digital world is constantly changing. New apps, games and platforms emerge rapidly, and the risks associated with online activity can feel worrying and difficult to keep up with. For children in care, who may […]
Impact of Allegations
There can be nothing more stressful, upsetting and worrying for a foster carer than when told an allegation has been made against them. It can cause distress for the carer, the family and the children and the young people in placement. However, in fostering it is important that all allegations are addressed properly.We understand that […]
Asking for Help
Asking for help is crucial for foster carers to ensure the well-being of both themselves and the children in their care. Fostering is a demanding, 24/7 role that often involves caring for children with traumatic backgrounds. Seeking support helps prevent burnout – a major factor in why 60% of carers have considered resigning – and ensures […]
How to ensure your case recording is child-focused Community Care : 21 May 2026 Sophie Baker
As her husband contemplates accessing his care records, social work trainer and consultant Sophie Baker discusses how practitioners can ensure children reading their files later in life will find their story recorded with clarity and care For some years now, my husband has been thinking about accessing his social care records.The files were written more […]
I know I’d make a good foster parent, but I don’t want to go through all the bureaucracy
‘Paperwork is not my thing but the way I got through the fostering process was to remember why I was doing it. Not only did I want to foster a child but the approval process is necessary to make sure the child in care is safeguarded – most have already gone through a lot of […]
I’m single, what if I meet the right person whilst a foster carer?
Kerry, a Hertfordshire-based foster carer, shares her experience of fostering for over 15 years as a single parent. After her marriage ended, she hadn’t been particularly interested in finding a new partner. However, as often happens, she met Ian when she least expected it. Kerry’s story is not unique. At Fostering Hearts, we welcome foster […]
Fostering Fortnight 2023: Empowering Lives and Building Communities
Fostering Fortnight 2023 is just around the corner, and it offers a fantastic opportunity to raise awareness about the invaluable role that foster carers play in our society. Fostering Hearts is proud to be a part of this annual celebration and play a vital role in recruiting foster carers across the South East. In this […]
Missing children and young people
The new framework for missing children and young people is a significant initiative aimed at ensuring the safety and wellbeing of children in the care of local authorities in England. Developed by the National Task and Finish Group, led by the National Police Chief’s Council, with contributions from The Fostering Network, the framework provides a […]