Raring2go! Bedford, Sandy & Biggleswade

raring2go .co.uk 9 Raring2go! FOSTERING prospects prospects Do something incredible today! Foster carers are needed in your community 0300 300 8181 fostering@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk bit.ly/RGfostering Fostering is an amazing, life changing experience, both for foster carers and young people. If you’ve ever thought about fostering, do something incredible and enquire today. Fostering advert (NOV 19) 129x88mm.indd 1 13/11/2019 15:33 Often people will rule themselves out of becoming foster carers as they feel there may be a barrier to them fostering. But many of those are just that, myths that are usually not true. Things like working full time, being an LGBTQ family, or a single person, or age being a factor. Even having pets can make people think they might not be suitable, so they never take the next step to research the options. Most people don’t realise there are many different schemes for fostering – from caring for children in an emergency, offering weekend care on a regular basis or looking after young people on a short or long-term basis. Here are the answers to some of the questions that people regularly ask us about whether they can foster: I’m single, so does that mean I can’t foster? Yes you can! We have many single people who foster. I rent my home so does that rule me out of fostering? If you have a secure tenancy and your landlords permission, we can consider you as a foster carer. I’m in my twenties, is that too young to foster? If you are over 21 years of age you can apply to foster. Will being part of the LGBTQ community be a barrier to me being a foster carer? We would love to hear from members of the LGBTQ community who would like to find out more about fostering. Still think you can’t foster? You’d be surprised! Go to www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/ foster-myths to see if you were mistaken. You can also get in touch with the Fostering Team by calling 0300 300 8181 or email fostering@ centralbedfordshire.gov.uk. Think you can’t foster? you’d be surprised!