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HAPPY families . . . foster carers Michael and Tracie Garlick have never looked back since they decided to take up fostering and want to encourage others to try it

FOSTER Care Fortnight, which starts today, is an annual UK-wide campaign co-ordinated by the charity Fostering Network to encourage anyone interested in fostering to come forward. This year’s focus is on the regional You Can Foster Campaign which aims to recruit 150 new carers by June.

Reporter BEATRIZ AYALA spoke to one Oldham foster family who are giving children across the borough a secure and loving home.
BUSY mum Tracie Garlick has been offering children of all ages the chance of a happy home for the past nine years.

Along with husband Michael, they have been fostering children on a short-term and long-term basis, as well as offering respite care.

The couple, from Oldham, are currently long-term fostering two boys and have a four-year-old daughter.

Tracie said: “We’ve got a six-bedroom house and its great to have every bedroom full.

“I love being busy and organising things like taking the younger ones to farms and the older ones to fairs.

“I make sure we all sit round the table for dinner.”

Tracie (40), a full-time carer, and Michael (47), a maintenance engineer, decided to offer up their homes almost a decade ago and have never looked back. She said her caring nature and wanting to help children meant that fostering was always something she wanted to do.

She added: “We really enjoyed the approval process, it was nice sitting there and talking about your past. And we had a great support worker who is always on hand for help and comes to see us every six weeks.

“Long-term fostering means you know where you are with the children, you can plan for the future and make time for holidays.

“It’s also wonderful to see them progress at school and watch them learn and grow.

“For the children, they have a chance of a stable life and can relax a bit.

“It’s also good for any other children in the family as there is less disruption and people coming and going.

“I’ve had two girls who stayed with me be adopted last year which was a lovely experience,”

“I’m always trying to recruit people and think anyone considering it should make enquiries.”

Long-term fostering is where a child or young person who cannot return home lives with the same foster carer until they reach adulthood. Most youngsters will have contact with their birth families (if appropriate) but the local authority is legally responsible for the child.

The majority of children who need long-term fostering are aged five to 15-years-old, and some need to be placed with their brothers and sisters. All of the children and young people will have experienced disruption, and emotional abuse, some physical or sexual abuse, rejection and neglect.

This means the children will have complex needs, and need to know they will not be moving again.

Oldham Council has joined local authorities across the North-West to tackle a dramatic drop in foster carers. It is estimated that there is a shortfall of between 1,700 to 2,000 people becoming foster carers in the region.

Oldham Council, along with 22 other local authorities has created the largest ever regional fostering campaign under the banner You Can Foster.

The campaign aims to recruit an additional 150 new carers across the region by June, dispel foster care myths, and showcase the diversity of potential foster carers.

Almost anyone from any background can apply to become a long-term foster carer as long as they are over 21, have a spare bedroom and can provide a safe, stable home.

A wide range of support is available for Oldham foster carers including a highly competitive salary and allowance (up to £365 per week dependent on skills and experience).

::To become a foster carer or for more enquiries call 0800-634 7052 or visit www.youcanfoster.org