Hi, this is my first blog so please bear with me!  I am a foster carer currently with North Tyneside council.  I would love to raise the profile of Fostering, and discuss the challenges and rewards we face as fostercarers!

It is currently Fostercare fortnight (14th- 27th May 2012), and I wrote a blog for The Fostering Network's campaign "22 Minutes",  please take time out to read as well as the ones written by others!!

Thankyou for reading this so far,  I will update regularly!

http://22minutesblogs.wordpress.com/2012/05/11/irene-evans-foster-carer/     

www.northtyneside.gov.uk/fostering         



Well today has been interesting, I have been involved in setting up a new Cramlington support group for North Tyneside carers who find it difficult to attend in North Tyneside.  Attendance wasn't fab but it was only the first meeting and there are several illnesses doing the rounds!!!  It was still nice to touch base with others and gain their views on daily matters.   

One of the challenges of fostering outside the area is that often the children require taxis/ lifts to/from school so the logistics can sometimes be stressful, but today everything has gone well!

I love Fridays! They are our treatnight!  The children get fizzy pop, sweets (only a few) and choose what I will make them for their tea (excellent as I dont need to choose- only suggest lol)  Tonight we are making pizza together!  We also watch a whole DVD even if it finishes past bedtime (arranged so never more than 10 mins late).   It's the only evening that they get to choose whether they want a bath or not (unless they smell ;-),  they have to have one every other night.

However, even on a treat night I (as with all other foster carers) still have to write my daily recordings (notes) which is a requirement, but I don't mind really, it helps safeguard not only the children in my care but also myself!

well im off to help bake pizza, speak again soon x