A Shropshire fostering agency is aiming to offer a safe and secure environment to young people in 2025, with demand expected to increase from children suffering abuse.
The most recent figures for children suffering domestic abuse were predicted to be 827,000 at the end of 2023*, with incidences likely to have stayed the same or risen by the end of 2024. While New Chapters Fostercare (NCF) is expecting an increase in enquiries for children and young people looking to find a safer home this year, the agency is also seeking to welcome new foster parents.
Despite many barriers such as complex health issues preventing them having children of their own and time spent in the care system when younger, Vicki and John undertook the skills-to-foster training, progressed through the assessment process and approval checklists successfully, and provided excellent references to become first-time foster parents in the spring of 2024.
They said: “We had considered adoption and even surrogacy, but due to our situation decided fostering was the best option. The excellent help, training, preparation and support services provided by NCF have meant that we are not only foster parents to a child who has enriched our lives beyond measure, but we also have an extended family community if you like, through the network of other foster carers in Shropshire. It’s not always easy, but we know that we are not alone.”
Martin George, director at NCF said: “We recognised early on that Vicki and John aspired to our pioneer values including a sense of justice, knowing the difference between right and wrong and a desire to help the most vulnerable in society. People who have been through a tough time themselves might be pleasantly surprised at just how good they can be as loving foster parents, offering hope to traumatised young people.”
For more information about NCF visit: www.newchaptersfostercare.co.uk.
CAPTION: Vicki and John, foster parents, with Martin George, NCF director.
