At any time, around 400 children across Hampshire are in need of foster care and our foster carers do a fantastic job looking after and, in some cases, changing the lives of Hampshire’s vulnerable children – an especially challenging responsibility during the pandemic.

One great example of the type of household that could look after vulnerable young people is found in Chris, a single male carer. During the week, Chris is a truck driver for a racing team, but at weekends his home is available for emergency respite placements. He said:

“I saw an advert for fostering, found myself with a spare room and decided to apply. My biggest achievement was a boy who was a joyrider and had moved from placement to placement. As a father of four, I’m fluent in teenage ‘grunt’ language and so I spent some time with him and built up a rapport. I was the only foster carer he didn’t run away from, and he’d asked to come back to me – for that I’m really proud.”

Another foster carer, Kelly, originally signed up to do parent and child fostering, where a vulnerable parent and child are both looked after as part of a foster family. Owing to the Covid-19 crisis, Kelly’s plans were adapted. She said:

“As a family, we decided we wouldn’t take parent and child placements during lockdown because we didn’t think it would be fair on everyone involved. However, we decided we could take a baby. A couple of weeks later we had a call and the next thing you know we’re taking home a three-hour old baby girl. It’s actually a really lovely time to have a newborn in the house because everyone in the home is around, they can all help, and they can enjoy her.”

Hampshire County Council’s Foster Care Team has gone virtual – taking its outreach information and engagement activities online and hosting free informal information sessions to help you learn more about fostering. Upcoming events can be found online at www.hants.gov.uk/fostering

Fostering with

is not dependent on your marital status, ethnicity, sexuality or age – so long as you are over 21 and have a spare room. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted, we offer our foster carers quality training, good support and allowances of up to £600 per week for each child they look after.

Even if it is not possible to foster right now, there are other ways to support Hampshire children, including joining the 150-strong team of Innovation Volunteers who support foster families and children – details at www.hants.gov.uk/community

Search Hampshire County Council today. Visit our website to download an information pack, request a call back for an informal chat or apply to become a foster carer. You can also call 01489 587052 or email fostering@hants.gov.uk directly.

on reaching the finals of the Hampshire Care Awards.

Karen said “I’m so proud of my team here at Caring Hands who have worked tirelessly through the pandemic and continued to deliver much needed Care to some of our most vulnerable people.

“The awards are an annual event that normally takes place in Winchester Guildhall. We have made it to the finals many times but this year is my proudest achievement for my team as it has been such a hard year for everyone with so much sadness and uncertainty.”

The Hampshire Care Awards is an annual event organised and hosted by Hampshire Care Association & Hampshire Domiciliary Care Providers to celebrate outstanding individuals and providers of adult social care across the County.

Caring Hands were shortlisted as finalists in three categories:

Newcomer of the Year

Homecare Provider of the Year

Outstanding innovation & Best Practice Award