Urgent call for 'caring, loving foster homes' for children in Hartlepool

Joyce and Joe Melrose have fostered 30 Hartlepool youngsters in their ten years as foster carers.

The couple, who look after brother and sister groups, said they have no regrets and have encouraged others to come forward and become foster carers.

Mrs Melrose, a 63-year old retired teaching assistant, said: “The children come to you a bit ‘wrung out’ but they soon settle in.

“They start to feel secure and cared about, gain confidence, make friends with other youngsters in the neighbourhood and start to hold their heads up.

“You feel you are really making a difference.”

The couple have four grown-up daughters of their own and said it was always their goal to foster once their own children had left the nest and they had the space.

They made a personal choice to be short-term carers – anything up to two years – for children aged up to ten who then either return to their family or move on to permanent foster carers or adopters.

Mr Melrose, a former steelworker, said it is important to have patience and understanding to help the children feel safe.

He said: “People think it must be really difficult, but it’s not.

“Yes, you need patience, understanding and a willingness to learn, but the key thing is to be as normal as possible – you are just being the people who the children can feel safe with and who they can rely on to give them love.”

The couple also have their own supervising social worker, who visits them regularly and is only a phone call away if needed, and they praised the support on offer.

Mrs Melrose added: “We have had fantastic support and training.

“There are allowances to cover things like clothing, transport, trips out, gas, electricity and food and you get special payments as your skills and experience grow.

“The children are only with us for a short time and then they go on to their forever family, but during that time we care for them and build good memories and experiences for them, to help pave the way for them to grow into happy and confident young adults.”

It comes as fostering chiefs in Hartlepool are reminding people of the pressing need for more foster carers in the town as the UK marks the annual Foster Care Fortnight.

Jane Wilson, the council’s fostering team manager, praised the efforts of existing foster carers in the borough, but added they urgently need to recruit more.

She said: “We need caring, loving foster homes for the children and young people in our care on both a short-term and long-term basis.

“Being a foster carer is very rewarding and we’ll give you all the training and financial and emotional support you’ll need to do that.”

To find out more about being a foster carer call 01429 405588, visit https://www.hartlepool.gov.uk/fostering or email [email protected] for information.

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