Fostering in Dorset

Foster Care in Dorset

A place where natural beauty shines through, across the coastal landscape and throughout the inland towns and cities, Dorset is home to an unrivalled community vibe which makes it the perfect place to raise a family. Not to mention, with up to 364 more hours of sunshine reported in Dorset every year compared with the UK average, life certainly looks a little brighter in this widespread, diverse south coast county.

Dorset, which is home to 175 primary schools and 66 secondary schools, offers excellent connection with nearby cities and the hub of UK industry – London – through various commuting transport hubs and a network of highways and motorways. Chosen by many as a place where work and home life remain separate, Dorset is also a place full of opportunity and experience – and what better way to really celebrate that than by sharing your home with a young person who craves the support and guidance that you can give?

Becoming a foster carer in Dorset enables you to immerse yourself in the local area through the eyes of a young person, highlighting new experiences while providing them with the stability and support that young people need at every stage of their development. Whether it’s a short term placement or a longer term arrangement, when children are allowed to feel safe the change in attitude and behaviour can be transformational.

Here at Blue Sky Fostering, we are part of a nationwide network of agencies which seek to place thousands of children into safe homes every year. With approximately 57,380 children living with foster families in England alone in March 2021, and an urgent need for at least 7,000 more placement homes, fostering is a journey which can be rewarding for all parties. As a dedicated team, we work with and alongside every foster family or foster carer to give them the resources, tools, and guidance they need – though in many cases we find that a large majority of the process comes down to instinct and love.

Could you open your doors, your home, and your heart to a child or teenager in need?

This is Martin and Ellen’s Story.

As long-time Blue Sky Fostering carers, Martin and Ellen are parents who found that once their own children had left home, they still had love to give. That’s why, soon after their application was received and approved, we contacted Martin and Ellen about a potential placement for three siblings.

Here at Blue Sky Fostering we offer a variety of fostering types for carers to choose from, with fostering siblings one of our core services.

This arrangement became a long term placement, with Martin and Ellen immersing themselves in additional training to help them support and encourage the younger two children who had learning challenges – while also giving all three siblings the structure, guidance, and help that they needed to thrive both inside and outside of school.

Martin and Ellen have even found that their own sons have welcomed the three as younger siblings.