New technology means anyone interested in fostering can now talk straight away to a trained adviser via a chat hotline.
The new chat function – a first for the council – will enable the award-winning fostering team to live chat with potential foster carers and their supporters.
This is an opportunity to ask any question you may have about the process of becoming a foster carer, any information about the Supported Lodgings scheme and how you could become a host and the various types of fostering including Short Breaks + foster care.
You can also live chat with the team about being fostering friendly.
As a business or organisation, could you enquire about how you could become fostering friendly in the community? Championing and showing support of our foster carers and children in care, offering work experience, discounts, adaptations, or implementations of HR policies to provide flexibility in employment for foster carers for them to remain in paid work alongside being a foster carer.
Cllr Julie Reed, cabinet member for children, families, and communities, said: “Launching this feature is another way of connecting people to our teams with specialist skills around fostering, people with questions will be able to get a direct and immediate response.
“When someone is looking at an article on our web page this might prompt a wish for additional information, they can be connected to a member of our dedicated team.
“We will answer your questions across a wide range of fostering areas. For example, if you wish to know how to become a foster carer, supported lodgings host, or a fostering friendly employer or business.
“The friendly fostering team are on hand to reply, and I encourage you to try the live chat, via our webpages today.”
Foster care enables children to remain connected to their family and community. Within North Lincolnshire, the fostering service strives to ensure that children stay in their local areas when they are unable to live with their birth families or relatives.
Nationally there is a shortfall of over 7,000 foster carers in the UK. As part of a national campaign to increase awareness of the need of foster carers, North Lincolnshire Council are part of an award-winning film, ‘Any of Us’ which aims to break down barriers and challenge misconceptions for anyone who might feel they can or can’t become a foster carer. You can watch the film on the North Lincolnshire Council’s YouTube channel.
To find out more about fostering, contact the Fostering team today by emailing fostering@northlincs.gov.uk, calling 01724 297024 or visit the website to find out more and live chat with the team during opening hours.
