Leeds City Council Fostering Service, Foster4Leeds, is hosting an information event on Tuesday 14 May at the Village Hotel Club North (186 Otley Road, LS16 5PR) between 6-8.30 pm. Children are welcome and we’d love for you to come and have a chat with us. There is free parking available.
We’re also hosting a special event focusing on children with disabilities on Sunday 19 May at Weetwood Hall Estate (Otley Road, LS16 5PS) between 11am-12. Children are welcome and there will be a chance to speak to current Foster4Leeds disability foster carers. There is free parking available.
Can’t make it to these events but want to know when we’re running other events? Visit foster4leeds.co.uk for more information or follow us on social media:
Here is one of our foster carers talking about their experience of going to one of our recruitment information events and what you can expect:
We had thought long and hard about going into fostering. We hadn’t spoken to anyone about it – family, friends or professionals. We had to be sure ourselves before we discussed it with the outside world. Then we heard about an open evening being run by Leeds City Council fostering team. We could now go find out more and get advice from people who knew what they were talking about.
After our initial reaction of it being great that there was a specific open evening, we then became apprehensive. Whilst we were talking, that’s all it was – talk. This event actually meant us doing something about these thoughts.
We received a warm and friendly welcome from the recruitment team. We had drinks and biscuits whilst we were waiting for the evening to officially begin and this gave us a chance to meet other potential foster carers and fostering team employees. Once the event began, we had a brief presentation covering the facts and figures on both fostering. One of the facts that stood out to me was that at that time, around 1500 children a year are in need of foster care within Leeds, the fourth highest number in England.
The team went into further detail on the process and we got the chance to meet and talk to a current foster carer. This was a great opportunity for us to ask the burning questions that only a person who had been in our situation could answer.
Once the discussions ended we were asked if we wanted any more information or wished to leave our details to be contacted about application. We left our details, as we had been very impressed by the evening and of the honest and realistic approach given. We came away even more determined to become foster carers than when we arrived. Later that week we were contacted by the recruitment team manager. Before I knew it, I had agreed to a home visit and further discussion – what were we letting ourselves in for?”
This is the first in a series of sponsored blog posts written for Mumbler by Foster4Leeds. Look out for the next post, ‘Lots to think about’.
You could make a huge difference to a local young person’s life. Rule yourself in, not out. Thank you.
