Sheffield Council encourages employees to foster with extra annual leave

It said there are currently 675 children in care in Sheffield and more foster parents were needed to meet demand.

The authority’s new policy called ‘Fostering Friendly Employer’ aims to encourage its own employees to consider fostering and set an example for other employers to follow in a bid to find homes for children across the city.

Councillor Jayne Dunn, who was the executive member for children, families and education when the policy was introduced, said: “Foster carers play a vital role in our society and make a huge difference to the lives of our children in care. Many foster carers also have other jobs and being a supportive employer is so important with helping to balance working with looking after children.

“We want to make fostering as easy as possible so that more employees take up fostering and provide much needed loving homes for our children across the city, knowing that we are behind them every step of the way.

“We also want to encourage other employers in Sheffield to become fostering friendly too, by doing so they will be making an invaluable contribution to society and to our children in care in Sheffield.”

Leyla’s story as a foster parent

Leyla Yilmaz, who works with children and young people at the council, recently registered as a foster carer.

She said: “During the pandemic my partner and I had a lot of conversations about what we wanted our lives to look like. I’d previously looked after young people and had thought then that if I was ever in a position to become a foster carer I’d like to. We both felt that we had time and space to support and build a bond with a young person so decided to start the process.

“The extra leave will be a great help in so many ways. For us, it will mean that there is more opportunity to take in a young person at short notice and plan a couple of days out with them to help them settle in and develop a rapport. It will also mean that I’ll be able to take a day or two for myself after having a young person for the weekend or for school holidays, which is important as you need to look after yourself to be able to look after other people.”

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She added: “The scheme sends a message that you value people’s efforts as foster carers and you see the good that they’re doing. Even making small changes like allowing more flexible working hours might mean more people can train to become foster carers or approved carers can say yes to having young people placed with them.”

For more information on becoming a foster parent, visit: https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/fostering