Introducing Fostering Respect, the Hackney Foster Carers' Council Podcast

There is a national crisis in the recruitment and retention of foster carers, so we want to begin some difficult conversations about how the system treats foster carers and present a vision for a more respectful, supportive and collaborative way of working.   

For six weeks, a small group of Hackney foster carers and connected carers participated in a series of workshops to tell their stories, good and bad, about the lived experience of being a foster carer.  

Fostering Respect is the Hackney Foster Carers' Council podcast.

Hosted by Joe Chown
Produced by Jermaine Julie and Lucie Regan
Executive Producers: Debbie Bright, Kim Flack, Evette Dawkins, Andrew Henry & Liz Hughes.

Supported by The Museum of the Home

Special thanks to Rosie Watts and Mimi Buchanan

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:04

Imagine the care system built on a foundation of love and respect, where every voice is valued and every perspective is heard. A system where foster carers are empowered to contribute their insights and experience to create the best possible home life for our children. In the world of fostering, there exists a power imbalance between foster carers and social workers where our voices are often overshadowed or undervalued. The lived experience of foster carers and connected carers has historically not formed part of social work training. We believe this is a significant contributory factor to lack of respect being one of the top three reasons why we are facing a national crisis in the recruitment and retention of foster carers, our mission is to raise the voice of the foster carer by improving the understanding of what we do and the challenges we face. Together we can work towards a future where the voices of foster carers are not only acknowledged, but celebrated and welcomed for their contributions to the wellbeing of our looked after children. From Hackney, foster Carers Council, and the Museum of the Home. This is fostering Respect, the podcast that raises the voice of the foster carer and shifts focus to the relationship between the child and the caregiver.