More parents plea in Wiltshire
11:00am Saturday 21st January 2012 in News By Jill Crooks
Bea Meadows has been a foster carer for more than ten years
Wiltshire Council is asking people to make a difference to children’s lives by becoming a foster carer.
There are almost 400 young people in care in Wiltshire and the council needs more foster carers.
Bea Meadows, a mother-of-four from Royal Wootton Bassett, has been a foster carer for more than ten years and loves it. She has fostered 130 children, ranging from young children, siblings and older teenagers.
She said: “Sometimes it’s hard but there’s an awful lot of pleasure in it. The real reward for me is watching them blossom. There are quite a few who are in contact with me after they have left and to hear they are doing well is the biggest reward you can have.”
Mrs Meadows, 50, got involved after seeing an exhibition about fostering at Wootton Bassett Library 13 years ago. She initially provided ‘supported lodgings’, a scheme where young people aged over 16 stayed with her and gained life skills.
After two years of doing that she decided to become a foster carer. She said the training provided by the council prepared her well for the role.
At the time three of her children were still living at home but now just 18-year-old daughter Freya remains and she has ensured that her children were happy for her to take on each foster case. She said fostering has had a positive impact on her children.
Gill Burtwell, fostering service manager at the council, said: “During 2012 we want to recruit 50 new fostering families who can care for local children. We particularly need more foster carers for teenagers, for two or more brothers and sisters so that they can stay together and for children with disabilities.”
Anyone interested can call the council on 0800 1696 321 or fostering@wiltshire.gov.uk
