1. Recruiting the foster care workforce of the future Helen Clarke July 2010

2. Importance of recruitment and retention of foster carers Always supported fostering services. Lead developments and encourage innovation. Recruitment campaigns, good practice, advice and consultancy. Workshops and networking.

4. Foster Care Fortnight 2010 Annual awareness campaign Recruit more foster families Publicise in national, regional and local press –Over 450 print articles inc. online –At least 50 radio and TV shows –Two-thirds of LAs gained media coverage Majority of fostering services get involved Increase in enquiries

5. Finding who will foster Two-thirds are aged over 50. Two out of five aren’t happy. 1,000s of people enquire. 1 in 10 get approved. Six out of 10 don’t meet their recruitment targets.

6. What puts people off? The image of foster care. Myths about fostering. Status, pay and support.

7. Recruiting the Foster Care Workforce of the Future Why choose a career in fostering? The recruitment team The recruitment strategy – getting it right Finding the people who could foster Promoting foster care Managing interest and encouraging enquiries Approving new fostering households

8. Meeting the challenge Resources – spend millions across the UK, staff shortages, everyone’s responsibility. Time. Energy – ongoing – can be hard to increase. Spreading the word – we know who we have (profiling). Getting it right – be strategic, clear tasks and plan, effective systems.

9. Spreading the word Budget cuts. Competition. Tried and tested – word of mouth, working with the media, online, advertising, direct marketing, community links and outreach. Finding the wrong people – conversion rates.

10. What do we do?

11. Support our organisational members –Advice and consultancy –Projects and reports –Sharing good practice – Attracting and Keeping Carers. Raise public awareness of fostering –Foster Care Fortnight. Lobby and campaign for change.

12. Sign up for updates helen.clarke @ fostering.net 020 7620 6407