16 minute read
THE PATH TO
The path to FOSTERING
Empathy, understanding and the ability to listen are all skills necessary to be a successful foster carer, they are also skills you as a teacher already obtain. We speak to Barnardo’s Fostering about why teachers make the perfect foster carers
Everyday foster carers dedicate their time to helping children who can’t live with their biological families build a positive, fulfilled life.
Barnardo’s is the UK’s largest independent not-for-profit fostering agency, connecting foster carers and children. There is always a need for foster carers and as a teacher you could be the perfect candidate.
UNDERSTANDING With prior training and experience, teachers already have the skills that fostering agencies like Barnardo’s are looking for.
“I think that one of the big things about teachers is that you have so much experience and understanding of children,” explains Eleanor Hendery, operations manager at Barnardo’s Fostering Glasgow. “[As a teacher, you] know how to communicate with [a young person], know how to engage with them to make them feel safe and you can understand them.”
Being placed with the right foster
family can change a child’s life for the better. Where their behaviour might be perceived as difficult by someone who doesn’t have the experience, teachers can read between the lines.
“Teachers understand all of the nonverbal communication that children give us, and understand the trauma that children have experienced,” says Eleanor. “[For this reason, you] aren’t as judgemental, if children have bad behaviour [you will] know it isn’t about naughty children – it’s about symptoms of how a child is feeling.
“You will also understand that the children need a safe and caring home environment and are committed to that already, by becoming a teacher you are committing to children’s welfare.”
This same understanding gives teachers the ability to advocate for what a child wants or needs in challenging situations.
While you might thrive on helping children to expand their knowledge and skills in the classroom, becoming a foster carer is so much more, Eleanor says: “Teachers work with children between about 8:30am and 4pm, maybe more if you supervise clubs.
“There is a difference between that and having a child in your own home and having the responsibility 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so there’s definitely a process of adaptation.”
PROCESS Anyone who is 21 or over, has a spare room and the time to help nurture a child or young person can apply to become a foster carer. Your gender, relationship status, sexual preference and race do not affect your eligibility to foster, it is about your personal situation, health and what you are interested in.
“It’s not a quick thing,” stresses Eleanor. “From beginning to end it takes about six months and it is very interactive, we don’t assess people in a passive way.”
After applying to become a foster carer, a rigorous assessment process begins to make sure you are right for the role. This ensures that you are making the right decision for yourself as well as for the children you could foster.
“It isn’t easy and therefore the process isn’t easy either,” reveals Eleanor. “It has to be detailed and achieve depth, it has to get under the superficial, it’s not about just being a nice person, it’s about how do you handle conflict, how do you handle stress, how would you turn up in a crisis and what pushes your buttons.” Becoming a foster carer can change your life for the better, but it is important to consider how this will fit in with your family life and career. “Children need someone home full-time so this is a big decision for teachers,” empathises Eleanor. “What we experience a lot of the time is that if a teacher is thinking about becoming a foster carer they maybe start off doing short breaks.”
Caring for a child full-time isn’t the only option as a foster carer: you could foster long term, short term, for short breaks like weekends or school holidays, or provide emergency care. All Barnardo’s ask is that you can care for a child at least one weekend a month.
EXPERIENCE The fostering situation is looked at from the perspective of both the foster carer and the foster child. Both parties can get so much out of the experience, and the support available reflects that.
“The welfare of the child is paramount but we also have a responsibility for the welfare of the foster carer,” emphasises Eleanor. “We have to make sure [the foster carers] feel that they are confident in what they are being asked to do and feel they’ve got the right resources.”
For that reason, there is a wealth of support available from the first day of your journey to becoming a foster carer, and it doesn’t stop once a child is in your care.
“We have support groups where you can meet other carers, we have appreciation events where you and children come along,” reveals Eleanor. From the start of the application process you will be given training to enable you to best support yourself and the child you will care for.
“There’s a huge programme of training, which are designed to help people think about the impact of trauma and what it would be like to have a stranger brought to your door, just to help them think about ‘is this right for me and my family’,” explains Eleanor.
“It helps people to think about how this will fit in with their own families and their lifestyle, if they are going to be full-time carers, if it is right for them.”
By becoming a foster carer you can help children and young people flourish in everyday life, as well as within the school walls.
Could fostering be the perfect path for you? Visit www.barnardos.org.uk for more information.
THE HOTTEST ANTHEM OF THE SUMMER
Long gone are the days when cruising was for retired couples. These days, cruises are for all the family and no one proves that more than Royal Caribbean. Their Anthem of the Seas® ship, which is sailing from Southampton, is decked out in fun-filled activities that active families will adore.
The most iconic attraction onboard is the RipCord® by iFLY®, which is a skydiving simulator for people aged 3 and up. And you can’t avoid the nearby Rock Climbing wall that towers 12 metres above deck, or the North Star® that elevates you 100 metres above sea level for 360 degree videos of the surrounding ocean.
Sporty types will adore the Sports Court, where you can play basketball or volleyball with amazing views of the sea, as well as the indoor SeaPlex® where you can ride bumper cars or play a game of basketball.
Creative members of the family will delight in Broadway at Sea. Productions onboard Anthem of the Seas® have included Grease, CATS, Mamma Mia!, and We Will Rock You. Every performance is accompanied by a live orchestra,
complete with conductor, strings and wind section. The largest art dealer in the world, Park West Gallery, is also on board and their team are on hand to help you purchase a stunning piece of art.
There’s also on onboard kids club. Royal Caribbean’s award-winning Adventure Ocean® Youth Program is designed with that in mind. Tiny travellers aged 3 to 5 will have an education blast in the Aquanauts group. The Explorers program keeps 6 to 8 year-olds entertained with activities such as themed parties and more. And learning is a thrill-fest for 9 to 11 year-olds in the Voyagers group.
When parents want to sneak away for some relaxation, they can do so in the Vitality™ Spa or the adultsonly Solarium pool deck.
Anthem of the Seas® will be sailing from Southampton during the school holidays. Book now and Buy One Cruise Fare Get One 60% off! Kids Sail from £99pp on selected dates. Terms and conditions apply.
To book your cruise holiday on board Anthem of the Seas®, call Barrhead Travel’s Cruise Team today! Bionic bar
We Will Rock You
Pack in some pre-summer sun, escape the marking with a staycation and get fully recharged this Easter. With these top spring destinations, you might not want to come back TRAVEL The
Bug
After another busy term preparing for exam season, it’s time to start thinking about how you’re going to spend the Easter holidays. Regardless if you’re looking to get active, have a rejuvenating break, or embrace the Scottish countryside, there are plenty of options. Added bonus: we’re bringing you the best way to get the cheapest deals.
REYKJAVIK
Get back to nature and book your flights from Edinburgh to Iceland with EasyJet for just £93 per person – giving you more spending money to enjoy this picturesque part of the world. The city is brimming with culture, from the Hallgrimskirkja Church and Harpa Concert Hall, to the National Museum and vibrant street art. To truly experience the beauty that Iceland has to offer, make sure to get out of the capital city where you’ll find the natural springs, hiking opportunities, Northern Lights and iconic Blue Lagoon, be sure to take a dip to come home relaxed.
SCOTLAND
There are plenty of exciting adventures awaiting you, right here in Scotland. Why not take a drive to Glencoe in the Highlands and pay a visit to Riverbeds Luxury Wee Lodges (www.riverbeds.co.uk). Get comfortable in the luxury private cabins and take a dip in your personal hot tub, before heading out and enjoying the wonders of the Scottish wilderness. Or, if camping is more your style, you can pitch your tent in one of the area’s many campsites.
BARCELONA
With Ryanair flights starting at £55 from Edinburgh and £59 from Prestwick Airport, you’ll be on your way to sunny Barcelona in no time. This city offers the best of both worlds: wander down La Rambla, visit the spectacular Sagrada Familia and blend in with the locals at Ciutadella Park. Once the sightseeing is complete, head to the beach for a refreshing drink and to soak up the sun – perfection.
Travel for less Going abroad can be expensive – there’s no doubt about it. But, as a teacher you have access to various discounts and schemes, meaning you can jet off on your Easter holiday for a fraction of the cost
As a union member you might be entitled to discounts if your union runs a benefits scheme. For example, as a member of the General Teaching Council Scotland (GTC Scotland), you could receive money off holidays with Barrhead Travel, as well as discounts on other holiday websites. Download the GTCS MyBenefits app for more information.
Another option would be to purchase an International Teacher Identity Card (ITIC). For just £12, you can receive up to 40 per cent off flights with STA Travel, as well as discounts on travel insurance, Lonely Planet, Hotels.com and more. Visit www. myisic.co.uk to find out more.
My school days JUDY MURRAY
Former tennis player, coach and founder of her own foundation making tennis accessible to all, Judy Murray tells us how her teachers’ dedication helped shape her future career
Judy Murray is known for her career in tennis as a player, coach, and for founding the Judy Murray Foundation. But, it all started during her time at Dunblane Primary School and Morrisons Academy in central Scotland.
What was your favourite subject at school? I was always competitive and not just at sport, academically, too. I was always in the top two or three in my class throughout primary and high school and I think certainly through high school I imagined being a PE teacher.
I really enjoyed French and Latin, they were my favourite things I think, and when I was in primary school I loved arithmetic. I loved mental arithmetic when the teacher would shout out puzzles or questions, things to work out, because I always loved solving problems.
If you could pick a favourite teacher, who would it be? I think my favourite teacher was Miss Nisbett, my Latin teacher. It wasn’t so much that I enjoyed the language – I enjoyed Roman history which was a huge part of it and because I enjoyed other languages, I also took French and German.
I obviously ended up with a career in teaching and I understand more the importance of the way that you are with people, the way you explain things, the way you produce content, the way you communicate, they are all so important. I didn’t realise at the time but we all remember who our favourite teachers were at school and usually they connected with the subject we enjoyed the most.
What did you learn from being a part of school sports teams? There are so many life skills you learn from being part of a school team or club in terms of leadership, communication, resilience, team work and so many things that you’re not really realising.
You don’t realise how much you learn from your school days and from being part of something, it makes you appreciate your teachers who went above and beyond to create opportunities for you.
What impact did your teachers
PIC: © CHRISTOPHER LEE/GETTY IMAGES
have on your future career? The ones I remember the most are the teachers who made it fun and went above and beyond for us. That’s why I realised the importance of people who volunteer and give their time to create opportunities for those who have got potential.
Class sizes are so big now that it must be di cult for teachers to do that, but I think that it’s so important for teachers to create a situation where they get to know you as a person instead of someone sitting behind a desk while they teach their subject.
COMES TO GLASGOW T H E B E S T O F T H E W E S T E N D
MAMMA MIA! Tue 7 – Sat 25 Apr | KING’S THEATRE
SCOTTISH BALLET – SWAN LAKE Wed 29 Apr – Sat 2 May | THEATRE ROYAL
★★★★★ THE TIMES | FINANCIAL TIMES | THE INDEPENDENT | TIME OUT | THE EXPRESS
★★★★★ THE STAGE | WHATSONSTAGE | LONDON THEATRE | ATTITUDE
Starring Strictly Winner Joe McFadden
FINALLY • HOT STUFF • IT’S RAINING MEN • I WILL SURVIVE GO WEST •I LOVE THE NIGHTLIFE • GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN AND MORE! FEATURING HIT SONGS
PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT Mon 27 Apr – Sat 2 May | KING’S THEATRE
THE BROADWAY & WEST END HIT MUSICAL
NATURAL WOMAN • THE LOCOMOTION • YOU’VE GOT A FRIEND ONE FINE DAY • WILL YOU LOVE ME TOMORROW • UP ON THE ROOF
‘A TAPESTRY OF GREATEST HITS’ THE GUARDIAN
BEAUTIFUL, THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL Tue 26 – Sat 30 May | KING’S THEATRETue 26 – Sat 30 May |
EVERYBODY’S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE Mon 8 – Sat 13 Jun | KING’S THEATRE
ONCE Mon 13 – Sat 18 Jul | KING’S THEATRE
0844 871 7648 * atgtickets.com/Glasgow *
Despite the good progress made over the years, the road environment still represents one of the highest causes of accidental death to Scotland’s young people. Road Safety Scotland is directly responsible for the development of free road safety learning resources, linked to CfE, which provide end-to-end learning starting from early years and continuing throughout the school curriculum and beyond.
The two online resources for secondary school pupils, ‘Your Call’ for S1-S3, and ‘Crash Magnets’ for S4-S6, aim to engage young people in developing road skills to promote good peer influence, and provide strategies to help them to look after themselves and others in the road environment.