Fostering Friendly Scheme
The Fostering Friendly Scheme helps employers to support and recognise the roles of their employees who foster and involves no direct costs, whilst supporting their wider community.
We are looking for all types of businesses, large and small to get involved with the scheme. Members of the scheme can support in a variety of ways including raising awareness in the community, offering discounts for foster carers, or agreeing to put in place a fostering friendly HR policy for all foster carers in their employment. This would include offering foster carers flexible working and paid time off for training and settling a new child into their home, providing similar flexibility for parents of their own birth children.
Fostering Friendly employers can further help promote fostering during our annual Foster Care Fortnight campaign – raising the profile of fostering nationally. The campaign celebrates the fantastic and inspiring work that foster carers do and encourages people to consider becoming foster carers, offering children the care they need and stay in their local area.
North Lincolnshire Council will be hosting an event for businesses to learn more on the 17th of March 2023. Details can be found via the following link: Fostering Friendly Scheme - Launch Event Tickets, Fri 17 Mar 2023 at 10:00 | Eventbrite
Benefits for Employers:
- Once you are approved, you can display your Fostering Friendly logo with pride, physically at your offices or building and digitally.
- North Lincolnshire Council will advertise your entry into the scheme, and you will be listed on our website.
- Build your reputation and brand within the community – send a message to service users, potential customers and future employees that you are fully committed to looking after your staff and Children in Care.
- Show strong social responsibility. People living in North Lincolnshire have a strong connection to the area and being seen to look after the wider community sends a clear message that you are a responsible employer with a long-term commitment to the community.
- Supporting staff builds morale.
- You will have access to advice, information, and support on helping staff who are or who are wanting to become foster carers.
- Having the Fostering Friendly policy in place means employees will more likely remain in work while fostering and therefore potentially increase retention of staff.
- A Fostering Friendly policy would encourage more people to consider fostering since they are supported at work, meaning more children are able to stay within their local area to thrive and grow.
- Fostering Friendly employers can improve support for staff, making workplaces friendlier for foster carers, benefiting the children in their care, and making it easier for people to consider fostering.
- Promote your commitment to work life balance.
- You will share in the celebration of foster care and the vital role it has in transforming children’s lives.
Further information can be found: Fostering Friendly Scheme - North Lincolnshire Council (northlincs.gov.uk)