New Nottingham foster mums Anita Byfield and her twin sister Veronica Eden have recently taken their first foster children into their homes. The sisters, both 40, signed up to train as foster carers during Nottingham City Council’s Foster Care Fortnight campaign last year and over the past 12 months have been undergoing the checks and training necessary to become a foster carer.

Anita had a successful career working with women and children who were the victims of domestic violence but she was looking at how she could give more direct help to children affected by domestic violence. Once she had taken the first step towards becoming a foster carer, she encouraged her twin sister to join her.

Now together, they are hoping to encourage others to come forward so that more Nottingham children in care can find the help and support they need in a family environment close to their home. There are no special qualifications involved – just a caring heart, safe hands, a listening ear, a sense of humour and a thick skin, with the ability to take things on the chin.

Councillor Jane Urquhart, Nottingham City Council’s Portfolio holder for Children’s Services, said it often surprises people that they are more qualified to be foster carers than they realise.

"If people are good listeners, have a good sense of humour to diffuse difficult situations, are resilient, down to earth and can offer a stable and loving home life, they could have everything it takes a foster carer to help a child can rebuild his or her life. Foster Care Fortnight highlights these qualities for foster caring as a vocation and a career.

"Anyone who has ever considered fostering can talk to other foster carers and to professionals who work with babies and young children and their carers about the practicalities of fostering and the joys and the difficulties involved in taking a small person or an older one into your home. It’s a chance to find out what it takes to become a foster parent – the duties, the responsibilities and above all, the many rewards.

"Fostering means welcoming a child into the family home for an arranged period of time and taking on the responsibilities of their care. It can involve a short period of a few weeks or months, whilst parents recover from an illness, or try to sort out family problems with the help of a social worker.

"On other occasions fostering may be the best way to provide the long term care a child needs, especially if the child is older or has strong family links. Carers can choose the age and gender of the child or children and can decide to foster at weekends, for short breaks or for longer periods.".

Last year 38 people completed the foster care process to become Nottingham City foster carers. It usually takes about 8 months and involves a thorough assessment called a Home Study. This is conducted by an allocated social worker, who looks into all aspects of the applicants personal qualities, parenting skills and their lifestyle, relationships and conducts police and other reference checks to asses their suitability. The potential carers then meet with a panel of experts, who represent different aspects of child care, who review and make recommendations about approval. Once approved, a social worker will discuss and agree with the newly approved foster carer which is the right child or children for them.

Foster Care Fortnight 2008 is launched on Monday (May 12) in the Old Market Square at 12.30pm. An information point will be opened which will be in the Old Market Square on May 12 and then on Smithy Row from Tuesday (May 13) until the end of Saturday (May 17). During this first week of Foster Care Fortnight social workers and experienced foster carers will be on hand there to offer an insight into the breadth of support available to families fostering or adopting a young child.

Foster carers can be single, married, divorced, parents or childless, working or unemployed and from any cultural or religious background and they can offer to provide short-term or permanent care for children in need of a stable home life. City Council carers can live in or around Nottingham and it is not necessary to have a large home. Nottingham City Council provides training and continuing support for foster carers.

With over 400 children in care Nottingham City Council are always in need of new foster carers. A revised and improved scale of payments for foster carers in Nottingham came into force last year which giving City Council carers the best local authority payment scheme in the East Midlands. Long term care for a teenager attracts payments of up to £328 per week in fees and allowances.

A free information pack is available for anyone considering fostering. To receive a pack or to arrange to attend one of the monthly fostering information meetings contact the City Council’s Fostering and Adoption Team, on 0115 915 1234.

To find out more about fostering call 0115 915 1234, email fa.info@nottinghamcity.gov.uk or visit our website www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/love