www.wigan.gov.uk/fostering

Celebrating and rewarding our Wigan Council foster families for their commitment and hard work

We know an important part to being a foster family involves having quality staff and services available to you 24/7. We can now offer our carers and families an extremely exciting benefit package.

The new benefit package we can now offer you helps to show how valued you are to us and how crucial you are in helping the children in our care, and we want to invest in your future with us.

We understand how important it is for young people within the fostering household to be part of fostering and we have developed a better deal for the whole family to benefit from.

Whether you’re new to fostering or an experienced carer, we will provide you with all the support and training you will require to help change a young

person’s life, and this now includes financial rewards and a substantial support package.

Every child is different - and so is every foster family, so we have worked closely with a number of families to shape this offer.

At Wigan Council we recognise that working as a foster carer is not plain sailing, in fact quite the opposite. We look after our carers, their families as well as our children in care and we are here to support you throughout your fostering journey.

We want to give you, our carers, the opportunity to build a career in fostering through training, mentoring, involvement in local support groups, recruiting other carers and developing a host of skills that enhance your expertise as a foster carer.

We have some very exciting news for you!

As foster carers you already benefit from...• Max card offers, offering discounts for retail outlets • Training opportunities for related qualifications• Induction sessions for new carers • Support groups, like the men who foster group

Now we can offer you all these extras...• Discounted leisure facility membership for foster families• Out of hours support for carers• Long service awards scheme• Incentivised recruitment for referrals of new foster carers• Transfer bonus for IFA carers joining the council• Fostering leave for Wigan employed staff• Specialist support from the Educational Psychology service• 24/7, 7 days a week help from Employees Assistance Programme• Partnership with Wigan Council Housing so that all Wigan approved

fostering families will be a priority• Ticket offers for local sporting events• And many more

For full details of the benefits and financial rewards visit www.wigan.gov.uk/fostering

So...what is the ‘better deal’ all about?

How will The Deal benefit you?

The Deal will celebrate and reward Wigan Council for their commitment and hard work, providing around the clock advice & support, training opportunities, financial rewards & benefits and incentivised activities.

Hear some of our foster carers who have already benefited from The Deal:

Anna Wilson - Long service awardI’ve been a foster carer with Wigan Council for 10 years now and have been really impressed with the level of support I’ve received. Receiving the long service award has made me feel valued as a foster carer.

“ “

Andrea Jukes - Leisure membership for the foster familyThe discounted membership for council leisure facilities for the whole family is great. We go swimming every weekend and have recently started a few classes together.

“ “

Anita and Rob Andrews IFA Transfer

We’ve recently moved from an IFA and have been really impressed by the support and training opportunities available to us.

The process of transferring was quicker than we expected and we received a one off sum as a welcome to the council.

“

“

Andrea Atkinson Training for new skills

I work full time whilst being a foster carer and although it’s hard sometimes I love every minute of it.

I am looking into new training opportunities for me and my kids who foster as part of the ‘better deal’ and am hoping we can gain qualifications alongside the fostering profession.

“

“

What if you are transferring from an IFA?

Transferring to Wigan Council is easier than you think.

Just contact one of our friendly team on 01942 487200 and we can talk through the process including the benefits and incentives of the transfer.

The usual process is:

Inform your agency3

P hone call1

Start the transfer5

Fil l out forms4

Visiting you at home as soon as possible

2

If you have a child or young person already placed with you we will work with you and your agency under a nationally agreed protocol to transfer your approval. This will place children in your care at the heart of the process.

If you don’t have a child placed with you then you need to inform your current fostering service in writing that you are considering a move to another fostering service. It is perfectly ok for you to speak with us before you do this so we can come and visit you.

Our part Your part

wigan.gov.uk@wigancouncilwigancouncilWiganCouncilOnline

Signed Signed

To celebrate and reward your commitment and hard work

To offer consultation and involve you in decisions about the service

To provide comprehensive support, including round the clock advice and links with other carers

To respect your professionalism and provide extensive training opportunities

To recognise you as part of the team who work with our children

To offer competitive payments for carers supporting children with additional needs

To provide a range of incentives, including access to activities that help you to help our children

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

Provide a safe and secure home for Wigan children and young people

Value, respect and nurture the children placed with you

Be ambitious for our children so they can achieve

Work effectively with us and others who are important to the child

Positively take pride in fostering and aspire to improve

Be accountable for your actions and deliver an outstanding service for our children

Be courageous enough to embrace new ways of working and alternative views

James WinterbottomDirector of Children’s Services

Yes

Yes

Yes

Consider the urgency of the situation

1

Do you have a robust support plan in place?Follow guidance within the support plan.

2

Can your support network or other foster carers help?

3

Do you need advice guidance and support from the service?

4

Is it an emergency, safeguarding concerns, or is the child at risk?

5

Please contact the CSW and your SSW the next working day to inform them.

6

Managing low level challenges / day care/ emotional support.

What you use your support network for.

The staff at The View are part of a wraparound support service for foster carers from Monday - Friday, 5pm - 9am and weekends 24 hours.

They are available for advice, support and guidance. If you feel it can wait until morning, or if a weekend - Monday am) then speak to your SSW

as they can offer more knowledgeable fostering advice.

They may be with a child at the time of your call so please leave a message and someone will call you back asap.

They can be contacted on 01942 257479

THE VIEW

EDT is a service providing out of hours emergency support. The EDT service will need to be contacted if a child in your care is missing from home, or at risk of causing harm to themselves or others, plus any safeguarding concerns.

They can be contacted on

Monday to Friday 5.00pm- 7:50pm: 01942 828300

Monday to Friday 7:50pm - 8.45am: 01942 828777 (same number applies all weekend up until 8:45am on Monday)

EDT (Emergency Duty Team)

For children who are missing from home. Please ensure you notify if there are any CSE or safeguarding concerns.

GMP 0161 872 5050

Wigan Police 0161 8567128

For all other emergencies contact 101 or 999

Police and emergency services

CONSTELLATION

KI

NSHIP HOME

KI

NSHIP HOME

KI

NSHIP HOME

FOSTER HOMEFO

STER HOME

FOSTER HOME

HUB HOME

ADOPTIVE HOME

BIRTHHOME

CHOSENHOME

HUB HOME

SATELLITE HOME

Mockingbird Family Model is an alternative way of providing foster care and involves carers being part of a group, with other foster carers.

CONSTELLATION

KI

NSHIP HOME

KI

NSHIP HOME

KI

NSHIP HOME

FOSTER HOMEFO

STER HOME

FOSTER HOME

HUB HOME

ADOPTIVE HOME

BIRTHHOME

CHOSENHOME

HUB HOME

SATELLITE HOME

Carers will be willing to play an active role in the constellation as a micro community and commit to being a supportive member of the constellation.

Within the constellation all carers will be able to share experiences and skills to the mutual benefit of each other.

If you are interested in finding out more, might want to consider being a hub carer or simply be involved in discussions to shape the model, contact Kim Curless 01942 487200, k.curless@wigan.gov.uk or visit our fostering page and look at the better deal for foster families www.wigan.gov.uk/fostering

The family model has satellite family homes that are supported by a central hub home. The hub home and satellite homes are supported by the fostering service.

What does it mean to be linked to the hub?

The hub offers many opportunities for support and access to resources including:

• Planned breaks, and if required emergency care, for the children and young people in the satellite homes

• Regular social events for families providing peer interaction and support for caregivers, children and young people in the fostering household

• Regular meetings for the satellite carers which provides social support and peer mentoring

• Help to access community resources and understand how services work

• The Hub carer will support 6-10 fostering households

• Opportunities for children and young people with a shared experience to meet socially

www.wiganmyrewards.co.uk

Rewarding your commitment and hard work

Welcome to My Rewards, the savings and benefits site for you and your family.

With My Rewards you can save up to £1000 per year on practically everything.

As a Wigan Council employee you will be given a personal number, which we will post out or email to you, this will enable you to register for the benefits.

To register just follow these 3 simple steps:

Visit www.wiganmyrewards.co.uk

Have your personal number handy, you will need to submit it along with your date of birth, and postcode.

Once you’ve registered, remember to verify your account with the email that is sent to you.

1.

2.

3.

Sign up today and start saving.

We don’t know when you might need us.That’s why we’re here 24 hours a day.

A 24 hour helpline from Health Assured to support you through any of life’s

issues or problems

Employee Assistance Programme

�Legal

�Financial

�Counselling

�Medical

�Family

�Stress

�Consumer

�Work

Call us in strictest Confidence on

0800 030 5182 (Outside the UK: +44 161 836 9498)

Online Lifestyle Services www.healthassuredeap.co.uk

Username: Password:

�Emotional support

�Personal coaching

�Health assessment

�Medical factsheets

�Fitness advice

�Stress assessment

Wigan Council

For full details about The Deal for foster carers visit

www.wigan.gov.uk/fostering

Or contact our friendly team if you’d like to discuss individual

eligibility: 01942 487200