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The Foster4 podcast brings you heartfelt stories from foster carers, care experienced young people, and professionals who are changing lives every day. Each episode dives into real stories from those who care about making a difference to the lives of children in Cheshire and Merseyside.
Tune in for an honest talk about the realities of fostering, the joys and the challenges and why fostering for your Local Authority makes a BIG difference to your community. Real stories, real voices.
Whether you are a foster carer, thinking about fostering or simply want to understand more, this is your place to learn and be inspired. Brought to you by Foster4 Cheshire and Merseyside, your collaborative Local Authority Foster Carer recruitment service for anyone wishing to foster in Cheshire and Merseyside.
New episodes release every other Tuesday on all major podcast platforms including Apple, Spotify, YouTube.
Episode 11 – Episode 11 – The Voices of Care Experienced Young People
Join Tyler and Rose for an open, honest and sincere conversation about their experience of foster care. Whether you simply want to understand more before making an enquiry, work in Children’s Social Care or are care-experienced yourself, tune in for a conversation that challenges assumptions and shifts perspectives. Raw, reflective and at times surprising, this episode is likely to leave you thinking differently about foster care.
Episode 10 – Episode 10 – Transferring From an Independent Fostering Agency (IFA) to Local Authority
“From the day we moved I’ve always been really happy”. Join Jayne and Sally as they talk honestly about why they chose to transfer to their Local Authority from an Independent Fostering Agency (IFA). From the practicalities of being part of a local network of Foster Carers, Social Workers, Education and Health Professionals and Police, to the ethical considerations behind their decision to transfer – distinctions many people simply don’t realise exist and what they wish prospective Foster Carers understood before choosing who to foster with. Whether you’re already fostering or considering becoming a Foster Carer, this open and honest discussion highlights why understanding the differences between the Local Authority Fostering Service and Independent Fostering Agencies truly matters.
Episode 9 – Mockingbird
In this episode, we’re talking all things Mockingbird! A pioneering, award winning programme which is led by The Fostering Network in the UK. Tune in to hear from Hub Home Carer, Craig, and Satellite Carer, Marie, who share what it’s really like to be part of a Mockingbird constellation when you foster with your Local Authority in Cheshire and Merseyside. From the practical help and advice it offers to Foster Carers, to the sense of community, inclusion and understanding it brings to the children in their care, this episode explores how Mockingbird is transforming lives within our Foster4 community.
Episode 8 – The Importance of a Family Setting
“Don’t pre-judge what that young person may or may not have been through. The story might be very different from what you’d expect as to why they’ve ended up in a residential home.” Many children and young people who are living in residential homes are there simply because there are not enough foster carers in their area, and many people make assumptions about young people when they hear ‘residential home’. In this episode we sit down with Chantelle, Manager of The Lighthouse in Warrington, to discuss how children and young people come to live in a residential home, and the importance of more people to coming forward to foster for their Local Authority.
Episode 7 – Support From Your Local Authority
There are so many benefits to fostering with your Local Authority, but having a network of support from fellow Foster Carers, Social Workers and partner agencies on your doorstep is one of the biggest advantages our Foster Carers cite as to why they foster with their Local Authority. Tune in to episode 7 of our Foster4 podcast series ‘Let’s chat about fostering’ to hear Rachel, a Fostering Team Manager from Knowsley Council explain how the Local Authority support you as a Foster Carer, and the benefit of fostering with no middle man between you and the wider network around the child.
Episode 6 – Therapeutic Support from Foster4
“Often, children who have experienced trauma will misunderstand your good intentions, and again that can be really exhausting” In this episode we chat with Mel, one of our Foster4 Therapeutic Practitioners who offers support to our newly approved Foster Carers throughout the first 12 months of their approval. We understand that caring for children who have experienced trauma takes patience, resilience and compassion- and that includes compassion for yourself. It’s OK to feel tired. It’s OK to feel frustrated. It’s OK to need support. Tune in to hear Mel talk honestly about Therapeutic Fostering and why these feelings are more common than you think.
What will they ask me? What will they think of my home? What if my past isn’t perfect? It’s common to have concerns when you hear the next step on your fostering journey is an initial home visit, so in this episode we sit down with Fostering Team Manager, Rachel, who explains what the real purpose of an initial visit is, what you can expect and why Local Authorities place so much importance on getting to know you, your household and your worries. This episode offers reassurance, clarity and a practical insight into what happens when you open your door to fostering for the first time.
Episode 3 – Making an enquiry
Taking that first step to make an enquiry about becoming a Foster Carer can feel quite daunting, but our Foster4 Fostering Support Workers are here to ensure it’s an easy process with no pressure, just honest, supportive and informative conversations. In this episode, we sit down and chat with Lisa and Shelley, Foster4 Fostering Support Workers and the first contact for many on their journey to foster for their Local Authority in Cheshire and Merseyside. Whether you speak to them at an event or over the phone, our team of Fostering Support Workers are here to inform and support you, from your initial enquiry right through to assessment and beyond. With over 38 years of fostering experience within our Fostering Support Worker team, you know you’re in safe and knowledgeable hands when making an enquiry with us. So, listen in and be inspired to take the first step on your fostering journey today.
Episode 2 – Fostering with a family
How do you navigate fostering with a family of your own? How do you start a conversation about fostering with your children? In this episode we sit down with Vicky, a Foster Carer with a young family of her own, who shares her family’s experience of opening their home and hearts to fostering.
This open, honest and inspiring conversation includes everything from why they decided to foster, to becoming a foster family of 7 (8 including Chester the dog!) and everything in between.
Episode 1 – The Voice of a Foster Sibling
What’s it like to be a foster sibling? How do children of foster carers feel when their parent/s say they want to foster another child? In this episode we sit down with Nathan, a birth child of foster carers who shares his experience, from his parents sitting him down to discuss the possibility of becoming a fostering family, to forming lifelong bonds as a foster sibling and why he wants to be a Foster Carer when he’s old enough.
This heart-warming conversation offers an honest, uplifting, and inspiring perspective from a young man who is changing the lives of other children as a foster sibling.
