Eden District Council is the latest employer to sign up to Cumbria County Council’s Fostering Friendly Employer initiative.
The Fostering Friendly Employer initiative gives local businesses the opportunity to support foster carers and Cumbria’s most vulnerable children and young people. A supportive and flexible employer will enable foster carers to balance their work and caring responsibilities.
Eden Council joins 16 other businesses (including four local councils) which have joined the Fostering Friendly Employer initiative since its launch in February 2015.
Eden District Council’s Communities Portfolio Holder, Councillor Lissie Sharp said: “As a council we recognise the important role foster carers have in caring for some of our most vulnerable children and so we are proud to support Cumbria County Council’s Fostering Friendly Employer Scheme.”
In Cumbria there are 700 children, of all ages, from various cultural and social backgrounds, placed in care for many different reasons. The council wants employers to come forward and implement changes as part of their corporate social responsibility to help support its work to recruit and retain foster carers in Cumbria.
The changes are simple and will have a significant impact on the children in Cumbria who require foster care. The scheme asks for companies to:
- recognise the needs of foster carers in employment policies
- help us celebrate fostering and foster carers.
Cllr Anne Burns, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Eden District Council onto the scheme; Fostering Friendly Employers can make a huge difference for children looked after in Cumbria.
“I think it sets a great example to other local employers and I hope more will follow their lead. This is a prime illustration of how a company is taking its role in the community seriously.
“The scheme is not one size fits all, our aim is that employers consider the needs of foster carers and do what they can to help. Be that giving time off for training, allowing swapping of shifts or sharing information on foster caring.”
For more information on the scheme visit www.cumbria.gov.uk/fostering/support/FosteringFriendly.asp
