As part of Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council’s ongoing recruitment campaign, May saw the first Merthyr Tydfil Fostering Awareness day of 2010, in conjunction with the Nation-wide campaign, Fostering Fortnight.
The event, which was held in the Civic Centre on Monday 24th May to raise awareness for the need for local foster carers and to offer the opportunity to talk to current carers about their experiences of fostering as well as members of the fostering team, proved to be a success, with a number of potential foster carers in attendance.
Catrin and Michael Higgins of Heolgerrig have been fostering for Merthyr Tydfil for 15 months and both say it is the best thing that they have done. They are currently looking after brothers who have been with them for the past 8 months and Catrin and Mike describe the boys as having settled into family life brilliantly.
Foster carers provide the care and attention that will help children grow and learn, and achieve their full potential in life. Merthyr Tydfil needs a wide range of people with different skills and abilities to meet the varying needs of children and young people.
We are looking for people who can care for babies through to teenagers, short term and long term. We also need carers who can provide short respite breaks for children/young people and provide supported lodgings placements for young people after the age of 18. There is also a need for carers who can look after children with disabilities. Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council pays generous allowances to their foster carers.
There are no upper age limits to becoming a foster carer and one can be married, single, divorced or living together. In Merthyr Tydfil we expect people to be sufficiently mature to work with children, and fit enough to provide for the child’s needs. It is also necessary that potential foster carers have a spare bedroom.
We are always keen to speak with people who would be interested in fostering and if you would like to know more please visit our website at www.merthyr.gov.uk or contact the Fostering Team at the Social Services office, Post Office Lane, email: [email protected] or Free-phone 0800 678 3798
