Supporting Camden foster carers through a monthly support group (original) (raw)
Retaining high-quality foster carers and supporting them to cope with the emotional challenges of caring for young children continues to be a significant challenge and over the past few years, the number of foster carers has continued to decline.
While foster carers receive training and support, informal feedback from carers indicates that training and support systems alone may not be enough to sustain carers through difficult times.
As well as looking after children and young people, our Growing with you team, which works with children and young people, who cannot live with their parents/families and are cared for in Camden and placed in foster care or residential homes also offer various support options for their foster carers. This includes including interventions focusing on the needs of the young person in their care, and emotional support through a 1:1 service for foster carers and a monthly reflective group.
The Growing with you service is a part of Tavistock and Portman’s wider child, adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) provision, where we provide 15 specialist and community services for children and young people in Camden.
The need for the various foster carer support options we provide, was identified by local foster carers through a series of focus groups to better understand foster carers’ experiences of the service, the focus groups gathered feedback from foster carers who had engaged with the service or the young person in their care had accessed the service in the past 18 months.
Suggestions for improving both individual and group support were identified and in response, the Growing with you team launched a monthly support group for foster carers, called “Talking and Tea with CAMHS.” This initiative provides foster carers with an opportunity to talk about the impact of fostering and share their positive and challenging experiences while connecting with other foster carers.
Sarah Livingstone, Chair of the Camden Association of Foster Carers, said: “One of the things I know as a foster carer and from what I hear in my job, is that only a foster carer knows what it takes to be a foster carer.
“That being said, the group understands that the things we discuss are important to that foster carer, who may be going through some difficulties and as a group, we respect that and support”.
Jackie, a Camden foster carer who attends the group added: “I personally feel the group is a safe space, whether if you want to share or listen, and having everyone understanding one another”.
If you are a Camden foster carer and would to join the group or like more support, contact the Growing with you service or access Camden Fostering resources.
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We work with children and young people up to 18 years, who cannot live with their parents/families and are cared for in Camden and placed in foster care or residential homes