Southwark Council scoops top accolade at Fostering Excellence Awards

25 October 2019

Southwark Council has received the ‘Fostering Friendly’ award at the Fostering Network’s annual Fostering Excellence Awards.

The Fostering Excellence Awards are the UK’s most prestigious foster care awards. They celebrate outstanding achievement in fostering and recognise those who make exceptional contributions to foster care every day.

The Fostering Friendly Employer of the Year Award recognises the positive changes that Southwark Council has made to create a supportive environment for current and potential foster carers in their place of work.

Earlier in the year, the council implemented a new policy that recognises that fostered children often have complex needs that carers may need additional support and flexibility to help manage. Thanks to this new policy, all staff who foster a child will now receive an additional five days paid leave so they can attend foster care related commitments.

Southwark Council is committed to trying to ensure that all children are looked after in a family setting.

Foster carers provide a stable home for some of the most vulnerable children across Southwark.  Many of the children that foster carers support often have complex and challenging needs. A supportive and flexible employer enables foster carers to balance their work and caring responsibilities.

Speaking about the award win, Cllr Jasmine Ali cabinet member for children, schools and adult care, said: “I am incredibly proud that Southwark Council has been recognised for the work that we have done in achieving Fostering Friendly Employer accreditation. Our foster carers do an amazing job and we want more of our staff to consider fostering. It is only right that we support our own staff to foster by creating a supportive atmosphere where their unique needs are recognised and supported.”

Kevin Williams, chief executive of The Fostering Network, said: “A supportive employer can make all the difference when combining fostering and other work and we are always delighted to see yet another organisation become Fostering Friendly. Southwark Council are supporting foster carers in their vital work transforming looked after children’s lives and are sure that this award will encourage more staff members to consider becoming a foster carer, safe in the knowledge that their employer will provide the practical support they need to fulfil this crucial role. We also welcome Southwark’s commitment to encourage other local organisations to become Fostering Friendly and hope that it will lead to more people coming forward to foster.”

There’s more information about fostering in Southwark on the council’s website. You can also email: fostering@southwark.gov.uk for further details.

Page last updated: 25 October 2019