Further information and dates are available on the individual Council pages - links below....

 

If you need help on any aspect of fostering, the experienced team of carers currently working with children in Bedfordshire are here ot help. We provide advice and information to approved foster carers including topics like allegations, approval, finance, legislation, relationships with fostering services etc.

You can Contact:
Brian Roberts on 07906 988992 or email ask@bedsfostercarers.co.uk
or Call Hazel Philips on 01525 634671.

The Fostering Network is the UK's leading charity for everyone involved in fostering, and we use our expertise and influence to help make foster care better for every fostered child and every foster family. Our member helpline provides information and guidance on all issues affecting foster carers and fostering services. This helpline is staffed by a team of experts from our practice support team, who work with all services across England, and our advice and mediation workers, who work with foster carers on a daily basis. Information can be provided on a wide range of issues including: Foster carer finances, Allegations, Delegated authority, Safer caring, Standards and legislation, Education.

Call us: 020 7401 9582 10am-3pm, Monday to Friday. If you call during opening hours and reach our voicemail, please leave a message clearly stating your name and number and we are happy to call you back and will aim to do so within 2 working days.

At the Fostering Network we understand how a foster carer can feel if an allegation is made against them – disbelieving, despairing and often desperate. The fostering service is required to take part in the investigation and this can lead to the foster carer feeling abandoned and alone. We can help.

Our Independent Support Service provides independent, confidential advice to foster carers facing an allegation, empowering them to decide how matters can best be resolved.

Our Independent Support Workers (ISWs) are all qualified and experienced social workers, managed by a former local authority fostering service manager with over 20 years’ experience in fostering. We cover fostering services across England.

Foster carers supported by one of the team know that they have a safe place to share their concerns and worries. They can feel confident that they will be given independent, confidential and highly professional support and advice to help them through a very difficult time.

Advice and Mediation worker  for South Midlands covering  Bedford, Central Bedfordshire, Luton, Northamptonshire, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.

Hello my name is Louise Horne and I am the Manager of the Advice and Mediation Service for the Fostering Network. As foster carers you will be aware that your local authority has a contract with us to provide an independent advice service to yourselves. Foster carers find this a really helpful service especially during difficult times such as allegations or concerns against them. Your worker Jeanette Towning has sadly moved on from the post . As the manager of the service I want to reassure you that we will be recruiting to the post as soon as possible. Until we do though you have access to another very experienced Advice and Mediation worker  - Sarah Furby.

Please do not hesitate to contact her as follows:
Tel number – 01159231209, Mobile – 07918708945. Email – sarah.furby@fostering.net

She will be more than happy to help . Don’t hesitate to leave a message if she doesn’t respond straight away – she will get back to you . But… if you cannot get hold of Sarah – please e mail me: louise.horne@fostering.net.
Ill let you know when we recruit to the post on a permanent basis.

Louise Horne

Without the support of a small group of foster carers in Bedfordshire the Association cannot support you properly.  Working directly, with two Local Authorities is likely to increase some of the work that we do to support our carer members. In some cases that you may not be aware of is that we have either been under represented or not represented at all, at some of the important, but ‘behind the scenes’ meetings including Central Bedfordshire’s Corporate Parenting Panel. The committee is concerned that without more members we will not be able to cover everything that we want to do and also that the views of what is only a handful of Bedfordshire foster carers will not be representative of everyone who carers for Bedfordshire children.

With this in mind we are seeking volunteers to become involved in some of the work that we do. Our volunteers do not need to become involved in everything, but anything that you can do would be much appreciated. Please contact us for more information.