Current Safehouses Vacancies
The following vacancies are currently available: 10/11/2008
- Middleton, Manchester area - Mr and Mrs M
Vacancy for 1 child either gender, 8-12 years of age short term or respite.
Mr and Mrs M have been fostering since 2006 and live in the Middleton area of Manchester. They have a daughter of their own, now 18months of age and have close contact with Mr M’s 2 daughters aged 11 and 7 years from a previous relationship. Mr M’s mother lives next door and Mrs M’s parents live close by as do several members of their extended family. They have a very close supportive network of friends and family who all take an active interest in their fostering activities.
Mrs M previously worked as a care assistant on an adult psychiatric ward but has been at home for the past 2 years as a full time carer. Mr M worked as a postman until recently but is now also at home full time. He is now providing mentoring support for the local Connexions service which he very much enjoys.
The couple are very warm and family orientated and enjoy walking their dog and spending time on child centred activities.
For the past 2 years, Mr and Mrs M have cared for a teenage girl who came to them from a residential placement. They have built up an excellent relationship with her and her family and with both carers now at home full time, they feel ready to take on the challenge of a second placement.
- Moston Manchester area - Mr and Mrs H
Vacancy for 2 children aged between 3 – 11 years (if siblings) – either gender, short term, respite or emergency
Mr and Mrs H were approved as foster carers by Safehouses North in June 2007 and live in Moston, Manchester with their thirteen year old daughter. The couple also have an adult daughter and grandchild who visit them regularly.
The couple are extremely patient and nurturing. They are family orientated and most of their activities are undertaken as a family unit. Mrs H is the full-time carer; Mr H works but fully supports her in the fostering task at all other times.
In the past year the couple have cared for a challenging teenage girl and they have developed a good understanding of the needs of Looked After children. They have attended a number of training courses and are eager to continue to learn from all available sources.
They are willing to undertake specific training to address the needs of a particular child. They would like to make a commitment to a child and to make that child's needs their priority, therefore, they are willing to consider a potential long term placement as well as short term.
- Ramsbottom, Bury area – Mr and Mrs W
Vacancy for 2 children 2 – 14 years of age, either gender, short term – respite or emergency.
Mr and Mrs W live in a 5 bedroom detached house in a residential area on the outskirts of Ramsbottom. They have been married for approx. 10 years and have four children aged 21, 17, 9 and 5 years of age. Their eldest child is currently in the Armed Forces and does not live at home but does visit them on leave.
Mrs W has had substantial child care experience in terms of parenting her own four children and Mr W’s experience comes from his role as step-father to Mrs W’s son and daughter from her first marriage and jointly parenting the youngest two children. They also have a wide range of experience as foster carers with Safehouses since January 2003.
Mr and Mrs W are an active, caring couple. Mrs W stays at home to look after the children while Mr W works in tele-communications and is able to spend substantial amounts of time at home supporting his wife and the children.
- Heywood, Rochdale area - Mr I and Ms G
Vacancy for 1 child either gender, 8-12 years of age short term or respite.
Mr. I and Ms. G have been fostering since April 2007. They live in a comfortable and well maintained three bedroom property close to Heywood town centre and have easy access to schools, health centre, leisure facilities and the motorway network that services the Greater Manchester area.
Between them the couple have seven adult children all who now live independently. They are both full time foster carers and are extremely committed to offering a positive service to meet the individual needs of the children that come into their care.
Ms. G is extremely nurturing, however, she is also able to put in place appropriate boundaries and structure. The family are very interested in football with Mr I being a junior football coach.
Since their approval as foster carers, Mr. I and Ms. G have cared for P who is now sixteen years old. The couple have worked tirelessly to support P and it is to their credit that P is now extremely settled and attending full time college. It is expected that P will remain with the couple until he is eighteen years of age.
Mr. I and Ms. G are approved to take up to two children and they feel that their family are now ready to welcome another young person . P supports the couple in this decision.