Sponsored Editorial: Produced in association with Kent County Council

Gay, straight, single, married, living together, with or without your own children, from any ethnic background, with any religious belief, Kent Fostering welcomes applications from all people interested in becoming a foster carer or supported homes host with Kent County Council.

Now more than ever there is a need to recruit foster carers and hosts from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds, to provide all children and young people with a greater choice of foster or host family.

With a current national shortage of foster carers, it is difficult to find enough carers in the county who reflect all the children and young people who require loving, supportive and nurturing homes, with carers who can meet their full range of needs.

The perceptions that surround what constitutes the ‘perfect’ foster carer or host can create a tendency for people to assume that they would not be able to foster or provide a supported home, and Kent Fostering is working hard to break down these misconceptions and reinforce a message that applications from all are welcome.

It is vital for all children and young people, and particularly for those in care and care leavers, to live with people who can promote a strong understanding of who the children and young people are and in a way that they can be proud of, which is why carers and hosts must reflect the diverse nature of the children and young people who need their care and support.

Nicola Anthony, Head of Fostering East for Kent County Council, said: “The children and young people in our care come from all different cultural and ethnic backgrounds, so where possible we endeavour to recruit foster carers and hosts who have experience and understanding of different cultures.

"It can be beneficial for our children and young people in care to live with and be supported by families who reflect and promote their own ethnic, cultural and religious identities.

"As a service, we recognise that when children and young people are placed with foster carers from the same background, they can help children and young people have a sense of pride and achievement and help them make better sense of their own history, identity and experiences within society.”

Kent Fostering is working towards having more foster carers who reflect the ethnic backgrounds of the children and young people in its care.

At present, there are a number of children and young people in care from a minority background but there is often not a large enough pool of carers to give children choice about whether they would like to live with families who reflect their own background.

Jackie, a foster carer of 15 years for Kent Fostering, said: “When my husband and I initially considered fostering, at the time we felt we could perhaps offer a different experience to children in care from a range of backgrounds it was mainly because we are a mixed couple. My husband is White British, and I am Black Jamaican, and we have three children of our own.

"Living in Kent, particularly then, we were aware it was a largely White British county and there didn’t appear to be many mixed couples fostering at the time.

"Initially, we mainly cared for White children and did wonder if they would find it difficult settling within a multi-cultural family. However, if they did, no one ever said anything!

Jackie added: "We have now looked after more than 30 children and have a lovely extended, multi-racial family. We currently have a young person from Afghanistan, a girl of African background and a White British child living with us as part of our family. We all get on well and we often learn from each other – it just works!

"As foster carers and regardless of our own backgrounds, I think it is all about meeting the needs of the children as individuals. It is important to respect the children’s identity, their family’s culture and find ways to learn, understand and take an interest in where they are from and what makes them, them!"

Nicola added: “Age, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion and disability have no impact on a person’s ability to be a foster carer or host, only the ability to provide a loving and supportive home alongside the right motivation, knowledge, and skills. We want to recruit, train and support more new foster carers and hosts from all different backgrounds.

"We hope that this way, all our children and young people’s time in care will be the best that it can possibly be.”

If you are interested in making a difference to a child or young person’s life in Kent as either a Foster Carer or Supported Homes Host please contact our friendly enquiries team for more information today on 03000 042 0002, email kentfostering@kent.gov.uk or go online at www.kentfostering.co.uk