Could you provide a long-term foster home for Chloe*, age 8 or Toby*, age 5?

30th November 2023

Chloe* (8) and Toby* (5) need long-term foster homes within the Western area.

Read their full profiles below:

If you would like to find out more about fostering either Chloe or Toby, you can register for one of our virtual information sessions to hear more about them.

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CHLOE*, age 8

Chloe* is an 8 year old girl with wavy blonde hair and beautiful green eyes. She is of average height and slim build for her age.

Chloe has been in foster care for most of her life where she has unfortunately, through no fault of her own, had various home moves. Chloe now requires a long-term foster home in the Western area where she can stay until she is able to live independently.

Chloe is a very loving and affectionate young girl and building a relationship with her will be a lovely experience. Chloe requires someone who will invest in her wholly. Chloe is a clever and engaging young girl who can be very kind, loving and thoughtful when she feels safe and secure. She will generally engage well with others and has a great sense of humour. She has lots of hobbies and loves to run around and play. She likes arts and crafts and enjoys downtime on her iPad.

Chloe also loves going for long walks, she particularly enjoys going to the beach and forest walks where she will often collect leaves and shells. She is a young girl who loves all weather types and can be best described as an ‘outdoor’ girl.

Chloe attends mainstream school, and is in primary 4. Chloe loves school.

Chloe needs foster carers who can give a lot of thought to her routine and her physical and emotional environment. Chloe’s foster carers need to be open and motivated to begin to understand the trauma she has been exposed to throughout her life, and the impact this has had on her ability to feel safe and to trust adults. It will be very important that adults caring for Chloe invest in this, and the therapeutic supports already in place.

Chloe would be best placed within a two adult family, or with a single foster carer who has a good support network around them.

Chloe would be best placed with no other young children as she enjoys having one-on-one time with her current foster carers and needs someone who can be fully committed to her.

Chloe’s foster carer(s) are not expected to be at home full-time as she is at school, but it is essential that they are able to make themselves available to her when and if needs be.

As Chloe’s foster carer(s) you will receive:

• Full training in all aspects of being a foster carer.
• Specialist training in Trauma and Attachment and other relevant areas to help understand Chloe’s specific needs.
• Advice, guidance and support  from  the key professionals including the Occupational Therapist, Clinical Psychologist,  family support worker and other therapies that are in place to meet Chloe’s individual needs.
• Fostering allowances plus an additional fee of £21,000 per annum.
• Support from your supervising social worker as well as Chloe’s social worker.
• An opportunity to be part of a foster carer support group where you can meet with other carers and share experiences.
• Paid membership of The Fostering Network to ensure you are protected, connected and supported in your role as a foster carer.

*name changed and stock image used to protect her identity

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TOBY*, age 5

Toby is a lovable, lively 5 year old boy with big brown eyes and brown hair. Toby needs a long-term foster home within the Western area where he can be cared for by adults who can provide him with a safe and nurturing environment where he can grow and develop.

Toby enjoys being outdoors, he loves play parks and being active. He loves to move, spin, climb and slide. He loves bubbles and blowing up balloons to let them go. Toby likes to use his iPad to watch his favourite cartoons and he likes to copy words and logos from these.

Toby is very affectionate, he loves being held and having lots of hugs.

Toby has experienced delay in his sensory development and play, language and motor skills. He is very much a visual learner and can be helped to understand what is happening throughout his day with the use of visuals such as pictures, photos and objects.

Toby has a special educational needs Statement and he attends school each day until lunchtime and he is great at using the interactive whiteboard for his work.

Toby has really benefitted from the predictable, structured routine that his current carers have put in place for him. Toby is a sensory led child whose carers pay close attention to his environment and how it can be best utilised to meet his needs.

Toby’s foster carers will need to be able to think about his story and understand how trauma has affected his development in order to offer him safe, trusting relationships from which he can grow.

To continue the great progress he is currently making, Toby would be best cared for within a two adult home where he is the only young child, with one foster carer at home full-time so there is an adult available to him who is fully attuned to his needs throughout the day. Toby could live in a home alongside an older teenager.

Toby’s foster carers will need to be dedicated to assisting him in the development of his communication, sensory processing, play, and motor and language skills with the support of the Therapeutic services currently involved.

Toby has regular family time and needs foster carers who will be supportive of this.

As Toby’s foster carers you will receive:

• Full training in all aspects of being a foster carer.
• Specialist training in Trauma and Attachment and other relevant areas to help understand Toby’s specific developmental needs.
• Advice, guidance and support  from  the key professionals including the Speech and Language  therapist, the Occupational Therapist and Clinical Psychologist, who form a team around Toby to provide a therapeutic plan that addresses his specific needs.
• Fostering allowances plus an additional fee of £39,000 per annum to reflect his needs.
• Support from your supervising social worker as well as Toby’s social worker.
• An opportunity to be part of a foster carer support group where you can meet with other carers and share experiences.
• Paid membership of The Fostering Network to ensure you are protected, connected and supported in your role as a foster carer.

*name changed and stock image used to protect his identity