Sutton’s fostering community has come together to urge others to follow in their footsteps and consider becoming foster carers.
As part of Foster Care Fortnight, (May 12 – May 26) Sutton Council is running a campaign to recruit new foster carers to help tackle the current shortfall.
Laura Goodwin, a mother of three from Sutton who, with her partner Malcolm Baker, has looked after over thirty foster children in the last 15 years, said:
“Fostering is the best thing I have ever done, it has been a pleasure to be able to provide the children we look after with a home filled with love; even if it’s just for a short period of time.
“Many come to us not having had the best start in life and we provide them with happy memories and create a bridge to a happier, more stable future. We have three children ourselves but I was inspired by seeing the happiness fostering brought others and was keen to offer my help.
“Some of our foster children have stayed with us as long as eight years and we are still in touch with most of them.
“You need to be very supportive, have a good sense of humour and be a good listener. Sometimes you need to step back a bit, but it is always important to be a friend as well as a guide and carer.
“We now have a 10 month old grandson of our own but it does not make me think I should take a break, I will keep fostering as long as I can.”
Carshalton couple Paul and Kathy Goulding have been fostering with Sutton Council for five years. Paul said:
“My sister in law is a foster carer and was a huge motivation in our decision to start fostering.
“The application process took around six months and was extremely thorough; I was also impressed with the training that was on hand for us. Neither Kathy or I had a childcare background, although we have children of our own, but were given plenty of advice to help us.
“The youngest we have fostered was three years old, the eldest was 11 when he came to us, we have also looked after siblings.
“It has been such a rewarding experience, one that has given me many proud moments. If you are able to give the time and support that’s needed then I would definitely encourage people to start fostering.”
Tolis Vouyioukas, Sutton Council’s Strategic Director of Children, Young People and Learning Services said:
“Foster parents play a huge role in the lives of those in their care. We have some wonderful families in the borough who’ve committed so much of their time to support young people in need – but we still need more people to come forward.
“We have children in the borough who need a loving, safe and secure family home and we want to ensure each and every one of them gets just that, and to achieve this we need more fostering families from in and around Sutton.”
You can come and talk to us about fostering at the following events
- Westcroft Library: 1st Tuesday of every month from 3.30 – 5pm
- Wallington Farmers’ Market: Saturday 14 June, Saturday 13 September
- and Saturday 13 December from 9am – 12 noon
- Information evenings: Wednesday 2 July and Wednesday 3 September at Strawberry Lodge.
Potential foster carers need to undertake a Skills to Foster training session and then an assessment which takes around four months. You can start the process today but calling or texting the number below or completing the form on our website.
Foster carers come from all ages and backgrounds. They can be:
- Single – male or female, gay, lesbian, bisexual, married or living as a couple
- Divorced or widowed
- With or without children
- Any religious faith or none at all
- Any cultural background
- Homeowners or renting
- Employed, retired or on benefits
- With or without qualifications
Foster carers need:
- A spare room
- Time and space in their lives to dedicate to vulnerable children
- A reasonable level of written and verbal communication skills as they will be attending meetings and writing diaries and reports on the children in their care.
To find out more about fostering with Sutton visit www.suttonfostering.org.uk , call or text 07515 137752 or email