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Reach Camden OutReach carers Out carers Newsletter Issue 11 Welcome to the latest edition of our newsletter for Camden foster carers. We hope that you continue to find our newsletter interesting and useful. If you have any ideas for future features or a story to share about your life as a foster carer, please do write in. The content can always adapt to what you need to know and want to read about. To send us your comments or suggestions about the newsletter, please email [email protected] or phone 020 7974 1152. We look forward to hearing from you. Inside this issue: New CAFC website | Mentors and advocates | Charter | Training Camden’s Association of Foster Carers New CAFC website (CAFC) provides Camden Foster Care Signing up is easy, and carers with Association now has its navigation around the site is support and own website. clear and uncomplicated. There advice, while sharing information is a range of news, information on the practicalities of caring for www.cafc.eu and resources, both internal Camden children. For information and external to Camden. We and advice or to speak to a CAFC The new site was launched hope you will all sign up and in member, please call 020 7974 3399. at the CAFC annual general time contribute to the website in If anyone is interested in joining the meeting and was developed to some way. committee, please call John Doneo, help CAFC be more inclusive and Chair of CAFC, on 07957 262 987 or responsive to the needs of all The more foster carers use email [email protected] foster carers in Camden. this website, the more useful it will become. Participation and A date has already been As well as improved active involvement will ensure set for this year’s children’s communication and sharing of the better use of resources to Christmas party. It will be held information, the new website enhance the excellent standard on Saturday 15 December at the offers you a platform to raise of foster care in Camden. If Irish Centre, from 1pm till 5pm. concerns, including issues you need help accessing the For information, please do not around allegations, finance or website, please let us know. hesitate to contact John Doneo. placements. We’ll be happy to help. idea of ‘being there’ for each other is Mediation and Advocacy (CAFC) CAFC still our driving force. is a service that is advertised and encouraged through the The climate we live and work in department. The service will always today can be very stressful; young Mentors & place the welfare of looked after children and teenagers coming into children as its primary concern and care today have many complex Advocates work towards resolving any issues needs. We all need support at one between carers and the department Thirty years ago a Camden foster time or another. Carers have always at ground level. Both staff and carer had an allegation made against been good at talking to one another carers can be rest assured that him. Tragically he was unable to and with family members; great confidentiality is observed and we cope and committed suicide. We, friendships have sprung up over the will only approach the department who were around at the time, were years between carers. Sometimes, at the carer’s request or agreement. very shocked, as we had not heard someone not directly involved in a anything until we were informed situation may be able to say “It’s Any member of CAFC can be about his death, while attending a ok. Let’s look at the big picture and approached with an issue you group support meeting. different scenarios. We may not be wish to talk about and they may able to solve the problem, but we At the time eight carers came delegate to a member who has can offer choices about different together and agreed we should experience in that particular field. ways to deal with a situation.” ensure that nothing like this should Partnership working has always However, sometimes something ever happen again; that there proved to be an effective model more is needed and this is when an should always be advice and in Camden and the mentoring advocate may become involved. support for foster carers. Our group and advocacy service is there to got in contact with the Samaritans, We are aware some carers are bridge the gap if needed. and as a result, a fostering group nervous about speaking out for from the North of England, who fear of upsetting the department; were already offering this service to or maybe they feel unable to put John their carers, came to talk to us. their case clearly, because they Doneo We then all went on a mentoring are emotional about an allegation MBE, course. At the end of the course we being made against them. specialist felt confident enough to set our own Whatever the reason we want to foster group in connection with CAFC. offer carers someone to listen and carer There are now only two of us from hopefully work out a way forward. the original eight. Some have retired, We want to ensure an environment some have passed away, but the of trust and support, after all … 2 happy carers = happier children. Camden Association of Foster Care 40th Anniversary (1972 – 2012) Cllr Jill Fraser, Secretary of CAFC Fostering for Camden”, which was Care Organisation (www.ifco.info) in copied by other agencies all over 1981 in the Netherlands. the UK. CAFC also wrote to all local In 1972 a few Camden foster Our AGMs used to be held at authorities in the country to see if carers met at a group meeting Willing House (now a Travelodge) there were other foster carer groups at the Area 4 office in Gospel in Grays Inn Road, with foster – one authority famously replied Oak. CAFC grew from this initial carers bringing in food for the that they did not have a foster carer meeting. Our first chairman and buffet afterwards. The aim of the group as all their children were instigator was Chris Gardiner and association was to bring carers and cared for in children’s homes. his wife Susie, who had started the fostering department together fostering a sibling group of five Following CAFC’s initiative 17 for the best interests of the looked- children that year and wanted/ groups began to meet, which led after children. Every year we used needed to meet other carers. to the formation of the National to hold an international event and These were the first committee Foster Care Association (now family days with a lot of activities members: Ms Val Mann, Mr & Fostering Network) in 1974. NFCA’s for the children. The fostering Mrs John Doneo, Mr & Mrs Tom inaugural meeting was at Acland department used to host a big Page, Mr & Mrs Tony Brown, Mr Burghley School in NW5, with more Christmas party for carers, their & Mrs Pat Crinnion, Mr & Mrs Pat than 300 delegates from all over children and looked-after children at Johns, Ms Joan Jagger, SSW Sue the UK, who were addressed by the Coram Centre. Anderson, SSW Barbara Eaton, Government Minister David Owen. On behalf of the present CAFC, Ms Ena Fry and Sue Anderson’s Camden foster carers produced I would like to thank Chris husband who was our first the salad lunch for everybody. Gardiner for the hard work treasurer. The Director at that time NFCA’s first office was in Queen’s he put in to start CAFC. Chris was Mr Kenneth Urwin and his Crescent, and from there the travelled from his home in the AD was Ms Kate Atherton, who first international meeting was Czech Republic to meet old helped CAFC to get a small grant organised at Oxford University in and new friends at the 40th from Camden Council. 1979. This led to the formation of CAFC Anniversary AGM that the worldwide International Foster CAFC wrote and had printed was held on Thursday 14th a handbook called the “A-Z of June 2012. The Foster Carers opportunities, now and in the Charter future. Camden recognises and values the important role that Last year the London Borough Camden foster carers play in of Camden in consultation with providing this excellent care Camden’s foster carers worked to our children. The Charter on producing a foster carer provides a clear and easily charter that could support foster understandable set of principles carers, the local authority and to guide the relationship other services to have a shared between foster carers and the understanding about fostering local authority in providing for and the role it plays in meeting the the needs of some of the most needs of our looked-after children. vulnerable children of Camden. This work was completed earlier A copy of the Foster Carers Cllr Jill Fraser this year and on the 1st of May Charter for Camden was given Cllr Thomas Gardiner 2012, our Fostering Service held a out to carers who attended the John Doneo, CAFC Chair special event to launch the Foster fostering awards ceremony on Cllr Claire-Louise Leyland Carers Charter for Camden carers. the 18th of May and further This Charter aims to ensure that all copies were posted out to all Former Cabinet Member for looked-after children in Camden remaining foster carers. The Children Larraine Revah get the best care possible, so charter is also available on the they can make the most of their foster carers’ CAFC website. 3 immensely. The approval panel Spotlight on Steve was scary, but what made this less stressful was the Panel Camden foster carer Chair coming to greet me on my arrival – this I found very humane.