DURHAM County Council has recently launched its #BeTheReason September recruitment campaign and is inviting people with the patience, understanding and space to offer a child in care a stable home to get in touch.

Fostering is like no other job and whilst it can be challenging and frustrating at times, the difference that foster carers can make is truly life-changing and incredibly rewarding.

The council urgently needs more foster carers so brothers and sisters are not separated, and to ensure there are families available who can offer a permanent home to the many children who are now waiting.

FOSTERING - THE JOB THAT CHANGES LIVES

Could you be the reason a child’s life changes?

There are fantastic benefits and support structures for Durham County Council foster carers. These include:

• An experienced fostering social worker who will provide dedicated advice and support. There is also support out of hours;

• Access to a wide range of specialist support, including health and education. They can also access support from the council’s in-house therapeutic team, a service that is highly valued by foster carers;

•An extensive training package and the opportunity for continued personal development;

• Local support groups which meet regularly across the county and provide foster carers with the opportunity to seek peer support and share experiences and knowledge;

• Both a tax-free age-related fostering allowance and a professional fee for each child they foster. This is up to £426 per week, dependent on the age of the child they foster and their assessed skill;

• Further tax relief in addition to the annual taxable allowance for every week a child is in their care; How do I start?

ANYONE interested in taking the first step to becoming a foster carer can visit durham.gov.uk/fostering, call 03000 269400 or visit the service on Facebook @DurhamFosterAdopt.

Alternatively, you can attend one of the council’s regular information drop-in events.

Upcoming events will be held on the following dates:

• Saturday, September 22, any time between 10am and 1.30pm at County Hall, Durham (DH1 5UQ);

• Thursday, September 27, any time between 11am and 1pm at Durham Town Hall (DH1 3NJ).

• Tuesday, October 9, any time between 4.30pm and 6.30pm at County Hall, Durham (DH1 5UQ).

Durham County Council puts children at the heart of its service, working with them and foster carers to ensure they have an enjoyable, safe, secure and stable childhood.