A new film launched this week features four foster carers from Barrow, who are all supporting Cumbria Fostering’s latest campaign to find more foster families for children across Cumbria.

In the short film, the foster carers share their experience of fostering and talk about the difference they make to the lives of local children and young people.

The film also highlights the fact that there are many different types of foster care to suit your lifestyle and what you can offer; we hear from respite carers Rod and Lynne, long-term carer Alex and short-term carer Diane. They all come from different walks of life but they all share the desire to make a difference for the children in their care.

You can watch and share our new film on our Facebook site or on YouTube.

Short-term carer, Diane, talks about the support she’s receivedsince she started fostering. She said: “We’ve been fostering for three years on a short-term basis. You’ve got your own social worker and another carer is your ‘buddy’ or mentor and then you also go to support groups as well and every time you do a training course you meet more foster carers.

“So far we’ve had two children move on and we are very lucky as they do keep in touch with us. One sends us a photo and a little message every Sunday to say what they’ve done that week and it just brightens up your day to hear from them.”

Lynne and Rod, are respite carers, from Barrow. Lynne said: “We started fostering in 2016  and we are respite carers so that means we foster ‘as and when’ needed really.”

Rod explains: “It might be day care where we have a child for eight hours while the carer has a hospital visit or we might have a child or children for anything up to a fortnight.”

The couple agree that fostering has been extremely rewarding for them. Lynne said: “The reward for me is knowing you are keeping children safe and giving their full time carers a break.”

Alex, is a long term foster carer, from Barrow, who is soon to become a mentor to other foster carers. She said: “Nowadays when you are a new carer you are allocated a mentor, who is another experienced carer, and I am actually going to be a mentor now to someone coming into fostering. I’m really looking forward to it as there is nothing better when you have a problem than speaking to someone in a similar position. It is a weight off the shoulders and you know no-one is going to judge you.

“I always think with fostering, that if anything happened to me, I’d want someone to love my child as much as I did. Every child deserves that love and is entitled to it; that’s what fostering is.”

In order to become a foster you must be over 21, have at least one spare room and the time and commitment to support and nurture a child. In return we offer an excellent package of training support and allowances for each child you foster.

Attend our upcoming event:

To find out more about fostering with us, why not attend our information event in Penrith next month:

Thursday 12 October – Fostering information event at the Sandgate Room, Penrith Methodist Church, Wordsworth Street, Penrith, from 6.30pm to 8.30pm

No need to book, just come along at 6.30pm to watch a short presentation on fostering and to ehar from our local foster carers and ask any questions you may have.

Or visit cumbriafostering.org.uk or speak to our friendly team today on 0300 013 2065