Round-the-clock support
A new location in the centre of Hamilton has been opened by Kibble to support its foster caring services.
The new premises will provide round-the clock support, and a drop in space for local children and young people in foster care, alongside their foster carers.
Kibble has set up this additional base for its Intensive Fostering Service (IFS) after signing a lease for a premises on Cadzow Street, as it looks to offer further support to its team while recruiting more foster carers in the region.
It currently runs the service from its Paisley base, providing an intensive service that meets each young person’s individual needs through a trauma informed approach.
The new premises will act as a hub, allowing foster carers in South Lanarkshire to readily access support, giving young people and foster carers a comfortable space to meet with the team as and when they require.
Staff who will work in the new premises will move to Hamilton from the Paisley-based IFS team, with a seamless transition which allows continuity of already established relationships with the foster carers and young people – an incredibly important aspect of the service with trusted relationships key to the success of the placements.
Neil McMillan, executive director community services at Kibble, said: “A stipulation of our Intensive Fostering Service has always been that our carers must be located within travelling distance to Paisley.
“The support provided through IFS is over and above a normal foster care placement and it is extremely important that we can meet with carers and young people on a regular basis, ensuring successful placements where the young person and their carer are comfortable and feel supported.
“We’re thrilled to be expanding geographically, allowing us to welcome foster carers from further afield into the team and increasing access to the on-call support available to our current foster carers based in the region.”
The charity’s fostering service was launched in 2004 and provides safe, loving homes for children and young people from the age of five who are unable to live with their birth families. Many of the young people have experienced trauma and/or neglect, and as a result of this have struggled to settle in previous care placements before coming to Kibble.
The service sits within a range of integrated services provided by the charity which includes education, residential care and psychological and therapeutic support.
The move comes after Kibble launched an urgent appeal for foster carers at the start of lockdown amid concerns of an increase in the number of children going into foster care due to the mental health implications of Coronavirus. With people across the UK showing tremendous acts of altruism during the pandemic, staff within the IFS team hope that people will consider a new role as a foster carer, reflecting their dedication to work within the care sector.
McMillan added: “Our foster carers come from various walks of life and that’s something we not only support but encourage, and we provide an incredible amount of support and training along the way. The one thing which they all have in common is their desire for giving a young person a chance at life and we look forward to allowing more people in Hamilton and the surrounding areas the opportunity to do so.”
Isabell Hendry (48) from Chapleton, began fostering with Kibble three years ago and now cares for two young people. Isabell believes the Hamilton office will be beneficial to her and to those she looks after. She said: “It’s fantastic that Kibble is bringing a new hub to Hamilton. For me it means I have more quality time to spend with the young people in my care, which is not only the most important thing for them, but also the most rewarding thing for me.
“The Hamilton hub is just another example of the consideration and care Kibble puts into the support it provides to carers. It’s ideal knowing I can just pop in the car and within ten minutes I can be with other carers and my key workers who will be there to help with anything I need.”
