Stockport Council encourages local businesses to become a Fostering Friendly Employer

Stockport Council is encouraging businesses in the borough to become ‘Fostering Friendly’ to ensure staff who foster are supported by their employer.

The council has adopted a ‘Fostering Friendly Policy’ which gives five days’ extra leave to any employee who is applying to become a foster carer so they can attend any meetings, home visits or training sessions as part of the preparation and assessment process.

The Council’s flexible, foster-friendly approach is being launched throughout the year. Retailer, John Lewis is among the local employers to have recently announced that it is now a fostering friendly employer, and the council are encouraging other local businesses and organisations in Stockport to do the same.

Cllr Wendy Meikle, Cabinet Member for Children, Families & Education explained:

“As an employer, the council has introduced this flexible, fostering friendly approach to ensure our staff who are considering becoming a foster carer are given the support and the opportunity to help them balance work and the busy role of a foster carer. Our foster carers are making a real difference to young children in Stockport and they do a wonderful job and we are trying to make life a little easier from them and allow them the time to be trained and supported to become the best foster carer they can be and help to build stable homes for our local children and young people.

“There are many children who need a caring home and I would urge firms and organisations in Stockport to help wherever they can. Just making a few small changes to leave arrangements and working practices won’t make a massive difference to your organisation but it could make a massive difference to children’s lives.”

The call comes at the start of a Greater Manchester-wide campaign, Fostering Unfiltered, to inspire more people across the city-region to consider fostering and to raise the profile of foster carers’ vital role in helping local children and young people to thrive. 

Cllr Mark Hunter, Leader of Stockport Council and Greater Manchester’s lead for children and young people, said:

“I cannot overstate the importance of foster carers on the lives of local children, the reality is we need more people to foster so that we can give the best opportunities to children and young people in Greater Manchester. To see so many of our current carers come forward to tell their story as part of the campaign shows the dedicated and passionate community you’d be joining.”

Stockport foster carer, Pam, is the face of one of the campaign’s adverts:

“We are absolutely thrilled to be part of this Greater Manchester campaign and we really wanted to play a part in encouraging others to come forward. It’s not an easy role but reading the carer stories in this campaign will give you a rounded view of the role, the support you get and the difference you can make.

“We foster because my friend fostered for her local council, Tameside, and she inspired us into it 10 years ago. It’s such a rewarding role and it’s nice to see local carers stories come together are part of this site to bring to life the reality of fostering.”

The newly launched Fostering Unfiltered website showcases the stories of a variety of Greater Manchester foster carers to provide an insight into fostering that they would have found useful when they were considering the role.

Stockport Council also holds monthly information sessions on the first and third Wednesday of every month to provide more information of fostering. The next events are taking place on:

• 5 July – virtual
• 19 July – drop in session at Quaker House, Cooper Street, Stockport, SK1 3DW from 5pm-6.30 pm

Anyone interested in finding out more about fostering, or in joining the Fostering Friendly Employer scheme should contact the team on 0161 474 3400 or visit the Stockport Council fostering website.