Foster carers needed for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children

Thursday, 5 December 2024 10:00

Wiltshire Council is appealing for more people to become foster carers and provide a warm and welcoming home to help children escaping dangers in their home country.

Each year Wiltshire has a number of young people who are seeking safety in the UK and are known as Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children (UASC). Wiltshire has a number of foster carers who provide a stable home and a chance for the young person to move on with their lives.

Spencer and Lisa have fostered with Wiltshire Council for four years and are currently UASC carers.

He explained: “At the moment, we are a foster carer to a young person who is an unaccompanied asylum seeker, and it’s very much like being a foster carer for any other young person, but they’re from another plan,d and they’ve got different cultures and you really just have to adapt a little to make them feel as welcome and secure as possible.

“The young person we are fostering, we know it has made a massive impact on their life, just from what I can see and what he’s told us. It’s basically put his life back on a different course. When Lisa and I started off on this journey, we really wanted to make a difference to a young person’s life, and I believe by doing this, we really have.

“It’s made a massive impact on our family. We’ve welcomed this young person into our family, and he’s enriched our family completely. We’ve learned loads of new things from him, and he’s basically become part of our family. If you’re considering fostering, I would really recommend being a foster carer. You really could make a huge difference to someone’s life and change their life forever."

Cllr Laura Mayes, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: “We are so fortunate that we have foster carers like Spencer who can help make an amazing difference and help these young people realise there is a safer, happier alternative. The story of how the young person he cares for has made a new life for himself is a real inspiration. If people want to find out more, I’d ask them to get in touch, and we can talk to you without any obligation.”

Foster carers need to be aged 21 and over and have a spare room. You need time to care for a child and a willingness to understand young people who have experienced trauma and loss. Fostering payments are from £400 to £740 a week, per child depending on skills and experience.

For more information on fostering visit https://fostering.wiltshire.gov.uk/ email fostering@wiltshire.gov.uk, call 0800 169 6321 or text the word Foster to 60002.