With Christmas just around the corner and the famous Christmas jumpers sure to make an appearance from aunt Sal, one lucky young person in Rhondda Cynon Taf can be seen on billboards across the County Borough supporting his newest reindeer jumper.
The new addition to the year long foster care campaign aims to highlight that just because families are not perfect, doesn’t mean they won’t make excellent foster carers “You may not be perfect, but you could be the perfect foster carer”.
We all have to endure the odd festive jumper, but we proudly put them on for Christmas day because of the love, support and care we receive all year round.
Sadly, for the 464 children in Rhondda Cynon Taf who, through no fault of their own, find themselves in care, this is the type of thing they can miss out on.
As a result, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council is looking for people to join its army of professional, dedicated foster carers, who earn a living by opening their homes and lives to children and young people.
Rhondda Cynon Taf already boasts 153 foster carers from all walks of life, including singleparents, retired couples, families and same sex couples.
It could be a short term placement to allow them respite from their birth families , or to prepare them for adoption or life as an independent teenager or it could be a longer-term placement. .
Fostering offers a range of options and the authority has reviewed its fees and allowances to create a scheme that offers competitive benefits , allowing people to pursue fostering as a career.
Teachers, social workers and health professionals are among those who have decided to change careers and work as foster carers..
Councillor Annette Davies, Cabinet Member for Children and Equality, said:
“We are very proud of this campaign and hope it can continue to support our efforts to find the best-possible homes for children and young people.
“Now, more than ever, people are looking for flexible ways of earning a living and I urge them to consider fostering. We have an extensive, confidential enquiry service where people can find out more about fostering and whether it is the career for them – they can even meet existing carers for an informal chat if they want.
“It only takes a telephone call and you could be on your way to having a new, challenging, rewarding career, working from your own home to give other young people the best start in life.
“There are no set criteria. You could be the perfect foster carer for us and we urge you to make that call.”
A new scheme in partnership with the Council’s Leisure Services team offers free access to swimming and sports for foster children and their family and the Foster Care Team is constantly striving to provide new ways to support, train, educate and assist foster carers.
For more information, contact 0800 085 2635 or visit www.rhondda-cynon-taf.gov.uk/fostercare
