Could you provide support care for a young person?
The Vale of Glamorgan Council is setting up a new scheme called
'Support Care', and is looking for people who can provide short
periods of care children and young people between the ages of 10 to
16 who are having difficulties at home.
These short breaks would form part of a support package to
prevent a child's family breaking down and them having to go into
full-time foster care. Prospective carers need to be people who
already have professional childcare expertise.
Similar 'Support Care' schemes have proved popular throughout
the rest of the United Kingdom and have help countless families
remain together at times of stress or difficulty.
Support care can be provided at weekends, during the day or in
the evening – as long as you are available for at least four nights
a month. Other support care schemes have successfully recruited
people who often feel that they lead too busy a lifestyle to foster
children on a full time basis but still want to play an active role
in helping children, young people and families find their own
solutions to their problems.
Support carers often have full-time jobs in child-centred and
other social care professions and have spare time on evenings and
weekends. Support carers are assessed and trained in the same way
as full-time foster carers, with dedicated supervision and support,
and are also paid when a young person stays with them.
If you are interested in providing support care for a young
person, please call Gareth Ollard in the Vale Council's fostering
team on 029 2035 0960 to find out more.
10/07/2008