ESS allows foster children to be cared for in social housing

Wednesday 21 October 2020

Tenants of social housing can now apply to be foster carers, in a significant change to policy that alters the rules regarding spare rooms in social homes.

The Committee for Employment & Social Security has agreed to remove the obstacle, which will have numerous benefits, according to Housing Director, Lynne McLagan:

“We know from previous experience in Guernsey and the UK that social housing tenants can make wonderful foster parents,” she said. “Aside from the obvious advantages to more children having access to foster care, there are also additional benefits to the management of our housing stock.

“Enabling our tenants to apply to foster and transfer to larger accommodation or remain in accommodation if they have a spare room, could free up our smaller units of accommodation for which there is significant demand.”

Pictured: ESS has changed policy surrounding the spare rooms in social housing, allowing tenants to foster children.

A series of drop-in events have been arranged to allow representatives from the fostering and housing teams to provide more information for social housing tenants who are interested in fostering:

Wednesday 21 October - St. Martin’s Parish Hall, 12:30-14:00

Thursday 22 October - Beau Sejour, 17:30-19:00

Friday 23 October - Kindred Family Centre, 13:00-14:30

Emma Beaven, Supervising Social Worker for Family Placement Services, said the change in policy has been welcomed:

“A shortage of foster carers in Guernsey often leads to a lack of placement choice for young people, which results in some being placed in residential homes when they could be placed family environment.

“Fostering can be challenging, but it is also extremely rewarding. I would like to encourage anyone who is interested to come to the planned drop-in sessions, or to contact the Family Placement Services for more information.”