Compass Fostering

Today is Stress Awareness Day!💆‍♀️🧠

Stress can have a significant impact on our mental and physical wellbeing if left unaddressed.

By understanding the signs and finding healthy ways to cope, we can reclaim our peace and live our best lives.

Remember to take some time out to breath, reflect and prioritise self-care. More importantly, never be afraid to ask for help!🍃💚

Phew, October! What a busy month for our amazing foster carers! 💚

We've had so much to celebrate—from Black History Month and Children of Foster Carers Month to Halloween and Diwali! 🎉 Our children and young people jumped feet-first into the festivities and created some incredible memories (and masterpieces) along the way.

Check out some of our October highlights below! 📸 Now, we’re looking forward to a little downtime… though we have a feeling something festive might be just around the corner! 🎅✨

Wishing our foster carers, staff and followers a sparkling Diwali full of love and laughter!✨

Here's to celebrating new beginnings, and the triumph of light over darkness. 🪔🌟

Happy Halloween!🎃✨

While this evening is all about fun and frights, it’s crucial to keep our little ghouls and goblins safe while they're out trick-or-treating.

Make sure to follow these essential tips to ensure a Howl-oween that’s both festive and safe for your child. 👻💚

With Halloween just two days away, it's time to summon those costumes!🧙‍♂️🔮

Don't worry if you don't have the time to head to a costume shop, these last-minute DIY ideas are sure to work like magic. 💫👻

Now that we're over halfway through spooky season, how many of these October bucket list goals have you ticked off, or are planning to?👻🎃

During October we have been celebrating the incredible children of our foster carers. The children who also offer up their time and space when welcoming foster siblings into their homes.

We asked some of them what they think of their experience as part of a fostering family and over the next few weeks we will be sharing what they said.

So, let's start with Joshua. 💚

Building resilience and wellbeing in children is essential for their growth and success. When children focus only on past failures, it can impact their current performance. However, by encouraging them to reflect on what they did well, especially when facing challenges, we can help them develop a more positive mindset.

Based on Hallowell’s 2002 model, this five-step cycle helps children tap into their strengths, grow their resilience and cultivate an optimistic outlook. 💪💚

One common concern for individuals considering fostering is the belief that they can't do it because they already have their own children. However, many foster carers successfully raise their biological children alongside their foster child, creating a loving and supportive environment for all.

In fact, having a foster sibling can be incredibly beneficial for children. It often helps them develop greater empathy, understanding and a broader perspective on life. These experiences can foster emotional growth, teach valuable lessons about compassion and strengthen family bonds as everyone learns to navigate challenges together. 💚

We recently sent out an SOS (Save our Space!) to the children and young people in our care to help revive the garden area at one of our offices - to say the least, it had been looking a little sad.

We loved seeing their creativity come to life, and we smile each time we see our beautiful flowers, tubs and colourful bench. Working brilliantly as a team, they have taken our little garden from drab and dreary to bright and cheery.🌈

Take a look through our pics from the day 💚

Though they might roll their eyes at the thought, engaging in household chores can be extremely beneficial for children! 🧼🏠

Learning what it takes to run a home can help them to learn responsibility, boost their self-esteem, and teach them various life and executive function skills that will help them far into the future. 💚

This Coming Out Day, we want to highlight some key facts about LGBTQ+ youth in foster care, and why it's so important to support them.

Many young people who are LGBTQ+ face unique challenges, including higher rates of mental health struggles and a lack of acceptance in places that are supposed to be safe and supportive.

In order for young people to feel accepted for who they are, we must create inclusive spaces and provide affirming support, empowering them to express their true selves without fear of judgement.🌈💚

Today is National Mental Health Day!🧠

Unfortunately, many children who are in care suffer from trauma. This can make them more likely to bottle up their emotions, which can lead to outbursts or difficulty forming healthy relationships.

That's why today, we encourage everyone to prioritise our children's emotional wellbeing by learning how to talk to them about trauma. 💚

After an amazing 30 years of fostering with Compass, our beloved Momma Cherri and her family are now settling into a well-deserved retirement from fostering.

To Momma Cherri, on behalf of all the children whose lives you’ve transformed and the entire Compass team, we extend our heartfelt thanks for your dedication, love, and commitment. You've truly made the world a brighter place for so many. 💚✨

This means the world to me. .Our former social worker and colleague just dropped this off to Philip Jones and me. Feels great to be appreciated for all the years of fostering.

Encouraging your child to read can have a variety of benefits, from helping their cognitive development to sparking their imagination. ⚡🧠

However, sometimes getting your child to sit down with a book is easier said than done. That's why we've compiled together our top tips for making reading a fun and engaging activity for your child!📚💚

In today's digital age, keeping children safe online is more important than ever.🤳

Check out our top 5 tips for keeping your young ones social media safe, so that they can navigate online spaces safely and confidently!💪📱

Unfortunately, 6 decades later, the legacy of these inequalities persists.

Black children are still disproportionately represented in the UK care system, often experiencing multiple placements and a lack of culturally appropriate foster homes.

It's crucial that more is done to address the systemic inequalities that affect black families, from economic hardships to challenges in accessing supportive services. 💚

October marks the beginning of Black History Month in the UK. 💪

This month, we want to highlight the racial disparities faced by black children in the foster care system, focusing on their experiences, challenges, and the urgent need for unbiased solutions. 🤝💚

School can be one of the most challenging places for neurodivergent children, so it's important that they receive the right support.

As a parent or caregiver, you need to be aware of the steps that can be taken at school to ensure your child is getting the most out of their learning. This includes collaborating with educators to create individualised support plans, advocating for necessary accommodations and regularly communicating to address any concerns or adjustments needed to help your child succeed. 💪💚

Due to it's subtle nature, covert racism can be significantly more damaging for children and young people.

It's important to recognise and address hidden biases so all children feel valued and understood. As a result, we actively begin to create a more empathetic and accepting world for our youth. 🌎💚

Feeling overwhelmed as a parent? You're not alone. 💆‍♀️

Parental burnout is very real, and it's important to recognise the signs so that you can get the right support. There is nothing to be ashamed of if you need help - reaching out is a sign of strength, not weakness. 🧠