You can be someones rock when you foster with your North East council

You don’t need to wait until you’re ready to leave your job to apply to foster. Foster with North East is a partnership between all 12 local councils in the North East of England. Right now, we need foster carers of all backgrounds and life experiences to be someone’s rock through different types of fostering, like foster carers like Jeff and Carole.

From police force to foster carer

Carole now 65, and her husband Jeff, 66 began fostering in their 40s. With their daughters grown up, moved out and married, the couple were already grandparents when fostering became their next step.

Jeff had a career as an engineer, while Carole worked for the Police. In her role, Carole came across many young people and found herself wondering about their stories.
"I always used to think, why? Why are they ending up in these positions? Why aren't they getting the support? It opened my eyes to a lot of things that children and young people have gone through that I hadn't ever thought about before. I think that sparked my interest; a little seed was there."

Carole and Jeff decided to apply to become foster carers after Carole took a period of extended leave from work to look after her mum after she became ill. With an appreciation for the social team who helped her during her mum’s last months, the couple began researching fostering.

They realised they were in a good position to offer a stable and supportive home for young people. Carole decided to leave the Police to become a full-time foster carer but there are hundreds of emergency services and shift workers within the North East fostering community.
Every one of them applies the skills gained through their careers to fostering, whether that’s for emergency fostering, short breaks or longer term.

Role models for different routes

Almost two decades on, the couple have looked after young people and children of all different ages. As long-term foster carers, Carole and Jeff find a big part of their role is supporting the children who stay with them to think about and prepare for their future.
Carole says, "As they have grown up, they've gone their own routes, they've made their choices, but I think it's important to encourage that. It's not all about education; we're also great believers in opportunities to explore new things and activities. Sometimes it's finding that thing they're good at, buying into it and building their confidence and self-esteem."
Reflecting on life now compared to her earlier career, Carole says that for her, fostering is a full-time commitment, which brings its own unique and meaningful rewards. She also highlights the progress she has witnessed in fostering training since she first became a carer, saying, “There’s a lot more to fostering than I initially understood but also a lot of support out there.”

"I thrive off training because, to me, that's what makes you a better foster carer. If you've got an understanding of what's going on, rather than just living through it, it prepares you to think about situations differently. I believe the training offered to carers now is really extensive and helpful."

"I love having the children and young people that we've had. It's not all roses around the door; there have been challenging times, and we've had difficulties. But it's rewarding.
“One day, you see this young person or child come to your door who might be traumatised and sad and doesn't understand anything happening around them; they're just in shock. And then you support them, see them grow, flourish and have successful, happy lives. It's incredibly rewarding."

Foster with your local council with Foster with North East

Whether you’re interested in fostering as an individual, as a couple or family, for any duration; weekends, holidays, a few weeks, several months, or longer, the Foster with North East team can advise you how fostering with your local council could fit into your lifestyle. You could be supported to become a foster carer in as little as 4 months.
We’re looking for passionate carers for individual children, sibling groups, those with additional needs and disabilities, teenagers, and children from ethnic minority backgrounds.

You can also ask to speak to a foster buddy in your area from your very first call. Learn more about fostering with your local council in the North East at

www.FosterWithNorthEast.org.uk

or call 0800 917 7771.