Type:
Supporting People

Training:
Provided

Time:
once weekly/fortnightly - on agreement

"Fostering In Somerset" is calling for members of the public to come forward and support local foster families within the community. As part of a new initiative, we're looking for individuals and businesses in the Taunton area, who feel they could offer opportunities, or even just their time, to nearby foster families and the young people in their care.  As the saying goes 'it takes a village to raise a child'. The initiative is a feasibility research study that is looking at the type of support that foster carers and children looked after need. The study will finish in March / April 2021, but there may be the potential to continue to volunteer past the end date of the study.

Further information

The aim of the volunteering is to offer the foster carer the opportunity of having someone who is not a paid professional to speak to and who will listen to them – someone to share the ’emotional load’ of being a foster carer with.

Examples of support to be provided:
– Online/phone call support;
– 1:1 talking and listening – this doesn’t include parenting advice, although a carer may seek the volunteers views about what’s happening with their foster child in the same way that a parent may ask another parent or friend
– Supporting a day out alongside the foster carer and child(ren) within placement.

Volunteers can be anyone living locally who has an interest in supporting foster carers and helping children living in care, or who can bring different life experiences to a foster carers life.

We want to build a sense of community and belonging for all our children in care, many of whom have come from difficult situations and/or have experienced trauma. However much or little you can offer or help – we’d love to hear from you. Anyone can get involved.

Related opportunities

When

Time
M
T
W
T
F
S
S
Morning

Afternoon

Evening

Requirements

  • Experience of helping children, young people or families (desirable)
  • Good communication skills (including adapting this to meet needs of child with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities)
  • Good listening skills
  • Problem solving skills
  • Being patient and being aware of the pace at which children and young people in care may need to move at
  • Aware of local opportunities across the community area or willing to find out about this.
  • Enhanced DBS with Children's barred list check (at no cost to volunteer)

Location

The geographical area the study is set within is Taunton