Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Fostering Service To Provide Local Homes For Children In Care

Fostering RCT, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Fostering Service to provide local homes for children in care, organised a fun day at Dare Valley Country Park and invited all of its Foster Carers, as well as their own children and the children they care for. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

It was a day to say “thank you” to all of its foster carers and their own sons and daughters, who play such an important role in helping to raise children who, through no fault of their own, are unable to live with their birth families. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

It was also a chance to once again showcase the work of Fostering RCT and encourage more people to consider becoming a foster carer, providing the home, care, support and guidance each child and young person deserves. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Fostering RCT is recruiting more foster carers now and welcomes people from all walks of life – all that matters is you have a spare bedroom, a sense of humour and a commitment to providing care for the children who need it the most. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Those who joined Fostering RCT on the day enjoyed a walk and geocaching, as well as archery, bushcraft, toasting marshmallows, arts and crafts and more. There was also tea and a range of delicious cakes donated by Greggs. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

They enjoyed time together and the dedicated Fostering Support Team, who are on hand to provide help, advice, support and guidance for foster carers, also joined the day to spend time with the carers they help. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Activities were provided by the Council’s specialist Miskin Project, which provides outreach and activities for vulnerable young people. Its work to provide positive outdoor activities, team-building and confidence building is invaluable when it comes to supporting children in care. The Miskin Project provides support to Fostering RCT throughout the year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Geraint Hopkins, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet for Children’s Social Services, Equality and the Welsh Language and Foster Care Champion, said: “We seize every opportunity to say thank you to our foster carers for the incredible work that they do on behalf of the children of Rhondda Cynon Taf. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“When a child comes into care it is foster carers who step up and raise them as if they were their own, welcoming them into their homes and families and providing care for as long as is needed. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“It was particularly important that the sons and daughters of our foster carers joined the celebration as they play such a vital part in fostering. It is their parents who make the decision to foster, but it is they who share their parents with another child or children, become role models and siblings and help to foster a future. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We always urge people considering fostering to discuss it with their children and, as was evident at the celebration event, it really is a family affair with everyone coming together. Many of the sons and daughters say being raised in a Fostering RCT home has made them better people and lots of them hope to follow in their parent’s footsteps. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“A huge thanks to everyone for their support on the day, I hope the Foster Carers and the children had a wonderful time and enjoyed a chance to relax and enjoy the company of the wider Fostering RCT family.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Celebration events and the dedicated support of a team of social workers are just two of the benefits of joining Fostering RCT. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Fostering RCT Carers will have a dedicated support social worker, as will the child or children in their care and receive fees and allowances that reflect the caring role. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

There is a chance to secure professional qualifications and accreditation, as well as a wide range of training courses and support sessions to help you continue caring. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Foster Carers receive free Leisure for Life access for themselves and their family, membership of the Fostering Network and discounts on days out with CADW. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Importantly, they are welcomed into the wider Fostering RCT family, which provides peer support and the chance to spend time with other carers. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​