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People, we need more people to consider becoming Foster carers which is a paid profession! See if this is for you and if you can get involved.

Dive into the heart of foster care with Elle, the passionate founder of Eastern Fostering Services. Her journey from nurse to fostering advocate spans over three decades, rooted in a childhood where fostering was "in her blood" through her experience working with Barnardo's.

Elle reveals the stark reality facing the UK's care system today – a deficit of 6,000 foster families while placement requests have skyrocketed from 50 to several hundred weekly. This growing crisis highlights why independent fostering agencies emerged as essential partners to local authorities, offering specialized support that consistently earns "good" to "outstanding" Ofsted ratings.

The conversation takes us behind closed doors to understand the profound trauma many fostered children carry. From children who eat under tables rather than at them to those unable to use basic cutlery, these behaviors reflect deep wounds that require patience, understanding, and specialized support. As Elle poignantly explains, healing sometime requires double the time a child spent in trauma before meaningful progress emerges.

We explore the potential of preventative "edge of care" services that could support birth families before separation becomes necessary, addressing the intergenerational cycles of trauma that often lead children into care. Elle challenges listeners to consider how society might better address root causes rather than symptoms – both in foster care and broader social issues.

For anyone considering fostering, Elle offers candid insight: "It's probably the hardest thing you'll ever do, but also potentially the most rewarding". Success comes in "little wins" – those precious moments when a child begins to trust, to heal, to believe that not all adults are the same. The strength of community also shines through as we learn how foster families support each other, creating networks where both carers and children find understanding and belonging.

Thinking about fostering or simply want to understand this vital service better? This episode offers a compassionate, eye-opening look at the challenges and profound rewards of providing a safe haven for our most vulnerable children.

For those interested in what Palliative care looks like at home there is "The Last Kiss" (Not a Romance)
Available on Amazon now
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Last-Kiss-Romance-Carers-Stories/dp/1919635289/ref=sr_1_1?crid=13D6YWONKR5YH&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9._59mNNFoc-rROuWZnAQfsG0l3iseuQuK_gx-VxO_fe6DLJR8M0Az039lJk_HxFcW2o2HMhIH3r3PuD7Dj-D6KTwIHDMl2Q51FGLK8UFYOBwbRmrLMbpYoqOL6I5ruLukF1vq7umXueIASDS2pO91JktkZriJDJzgLfPv1ft5UtkdQxs9isRDmzAYzc5MKKztINcNGBq-GRWKxgvc_OV5iKKvpw0I5d7ZQMWuvGZODlY.fqQgWV-yBiNB5186RxkkWvQYBoEsDbyq-Hai3rU1cwg&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+last+kiss+not+a+romance&qid=1713902566&s=books&sprefix=The+Last+kiss+n%2Cstripbooks%2C107&sr=1-1