FOSTER CARERS are urgently needed for children whose parents may come from outside of Ireland but now live in Cork, the Health Service Executive (HSE) has said.
The HSE South’s fostering department is looking to recruit foster carers from new communities in Ireland for children of all ages, from infants to children up to the age of 18, for both long-term and short-term periods.
A HSE spokesperson commented: “There are many reasons why children are received into the care of the HSE and are then placed with a foster family, but the circumstances are usually beyond the control of the child. Reasons might include family bereavement, parents being unable to cope, a parent who may be suffering from mental health or addiction problems or who may need hospital treatment, domestic violence or perhaps abuse or neglect.
“The list is endless, and families from all backgrounds may, at times, need this type of support. What is important is that the child, regardless of their age or background, needs to experience love and support and the feeling that they belong.”
Fostering placements can vary from weekend/holiday support or emergency shortterm care to more long-term placements. A number of children can also be placed with relatives who are subsequently approved as foster carers. In many cases, regular visits will be arranged between the child and their parents/family.
Joy Lohr, principal social worker with HSE South, said: “I think most people think that fostering is a good idea, however, we need to find people who want to get involved and can actually offer a caring and safe home to a child or young person and can make this type of commitment.
“Ideally the foster carers would come from the same background and nationality as the children, but we would like to talk to anyone who is interested in taking on this challenging role.”
Lohr added: “Fostering can be a rewarding experience for families who feel able to care for someone else’s child. It can be challenging but it offers a chance to provide love and care for a child who cannot be with his or her own parents.”
Each year there is a natural loss of foster carers. This is attributed to older children leaving the care system, and the fact that foster carers may be at a particular age where they wish to cease their fostering career. People are now also making themselves available for different types of fostering (i.e. weekend respite or holiday rather than full-time fostering), mainly due to carers working full-time.
Foster carers are recruited from all walks of life. They are employed, unemployed, young, old, married, single or separated. Some have other children, some don’t, and they are of various religious, ethnic and cultural backgrounds.
According to the HSE, carers will be paid a significant allowance, while HSE staff will provide a training course and an in-home assessment. Once approved, carers will receive on-going support from the HSE’s fostering resource unit.
If you would like to find out more about becoming a foster carer, an information evening has been organised by the Fostering Resource Unit at 7pm on Monday 15 September at HSE Unit 9a, Kinsale Road Roundabout (near Smyth’s Toys). Alternatively you can contact the fostering resource unit at St Finbarr’s Hospital, Douglas Road, Cork (Tel: 021 492 3025; E-mail: fosteringcork@ hse.ie).
