Support

Barnardo's Cymru Adoption and Fostering Service offers a high level of support to all carers before, during and after approval and placements.

When you are asked to complete an application you will be allocated your own social worker from Barnardo's and this is the start of your ongoing support. This worker will offer you guidance and assistance in completing the relevant forms and checks as well as completing the assessment that is eventually presented to the panel for approval. The team at Barnardo's all have a manageable work load which allows social workers to give you the time and support you require.

There are a number of different support groups that run throughout the year that all applicants and approved carers are invited to attend. These groups include:

Foster carer group
Adoption groups
Post adoption group
Children who foster group

Over the past year the support groups have been hugely succesful and guest speakers have shared their experience with the groups. The support groups provide an opportunity to meet with other carers in the same situation as you or who may be at a different stage in the process and can offer advice from experience. A creche is often provided for children as groups can be held in the evenings and weekends.

Recently, the "children who foster" group spent the day rock climbing in South Wales and then had the opportunity to discuss issues they experience when their family fosters. The day was a huge success and resulted in one of the children being interviewed for a magazine run by the Fostering Network, 'Thrive'. Click here for a link to the young people's pages of the Fostering Network.