Introducing your North East foster care mentoring program

 Daniel Kenny is the service lead at Foster with North East. He describes our foster carer buddying scheme as an extension of the support at the Foster with North East hub:

"Foster carer buddies are experienced, they know what it feels like to go through the approval journey and how to help you. Typically, foster carer mentoring services start when foster carers are approved. That could be six or seven months after a potential carer has made an enquiry.

"We can offer you immediate access to a range of carers across the North East. From that first call, we can share your details with your consent and get a foster carer to ring you straight away. They'll then check in with you as often as you want. 

"Our foster carer buddies are there to offer applicants unique emotional support from someone who has been through the same process. They're there to speak openly with and to help consider or share any worries you might have.

"They're also available to you throughout the assessment as an extension of Foster with North East hub support. Once you are approved, local authority buddy schemes will take over. Of course, if you've matched with someone local at the enquiry stage, you may be able to continue with that relationship."