In Reading, we need people who could look after children and young people of all ages, especially children with additional needs.
In Reading, we have children of all ages with more complex emotional or behavioural needs. This means they need someone who has more skills or experience in some areas, or someone who is trained to deliver therapeutic foster care.
We have a trauma-informed approach to working with children, young people and families. Many children displaying higher needs have come from a family home where they have experienced some kind of trauma. As one of our foster carers explained:
“You never blame the child for their behaviour, you have to understand they are communicating about something that has happened to them.”
Foster carers who look after children with additional needs get extra support. Other foster carers will also step in sometimes to look after the child for a weekend or so to offer them a respite break. We also have a trauma-informed practitioner on hand to equip you with tools to manage challenging behaviours. Having safety and security and a foster carer who has patience, resilience and determination can help a child make sense of their history.
"I’m SO pleased. This is something I’ve wanted to do for SO long. I consider it a real privilege to be trusted to look after other people’s children who are in crisis or traumatised."
If you think you have the skills and energy to foster a child with additional needs, we would love to hear from you. Give our recruitment officer a call on 0118 469 3020 or enquire here and we’ll be in touch.