READING’S foster carers have been celebrated with a new wildflower area in the town’s historic Forbury Gardens.
Chair of the board at Brighter Futures for Children (BFfC), Di Smith, led senior members at Reading Borough Council with the help of Head Gardener Roland Staines, in scattering seeds in a patch dedicated to those who foster children.
Reading’s mayor, Cllr Rachel Eden, was joined by council leader Jason Brock, Cllr Graeme Hoskin, and a number of fellow councils as well as Dimple Gillausseyn, Chair of Reading Carers’ Link, in planting wildflower seeds.
A number of BFfC’s foster carers were then invited to lunch with councillors, and a plaque is now set to be installed at the site of the gardens.
It will read: “Dedicated, with pride, to our foster carers who help children in Reading bloom and grow,” and the wildflowers will be replaced with sensory plants as they fade before the winter.
The garden joins the ornamental cherry tree which was planted in Town Hall Square in 2020 in signifying the importance of children in care feeling rooted in Reading as their home.
The event also marks Foster Care Fortnight, which is celebrating carers and promoting fostering from Monday-Sunday, May 15-28.
Lara Patel, executive director for children’s services at BFfC, said: “We know that children who remain with our foster carers in Reading Really thrive.
“So we want to create that community through the great support we have available, both through supervising social workers but also through Reading Carers’ Link.”
The Reading Carers’ Link association provides practical support and a number of services to foster carers and families in the area.
Ms Patel explained: “While there are opportunities for formal learning and support, peer support really helps people to be able to understand the experiences of others and helps them grow as carers.
“We want more foster carers, as we never have enough which can mean that children get placed outside of their local area, meaning they have to move schools or away from friends.
“We don’t want that for them, so we celebrate our local foster carers and engage with them about how to recruit and retain carers– and they know best.”
For those thinking about getting into fostering, she said: “Enquire, even if you’re just thinking about the future and aren’t yet ready– get in touch, and we’ll be able to help with information, so it’s well worth finding out.”
Cllr Rachel Eden said: ” There’s no more important job than giving young people the very best start in life.
“Over the years I’ve seen how they can really change young people’s lives, and it’s a really unique role: you provide a home and open your heart to someone who may have been through a really difficult time.
“Providing that stability and care can mean helping for a few days at a time or having someone stay for many years as part of a family.
“However long or short a time they’re there, that young person is safe, cared for, and loved– that’s the difference our foster carers can make, so it’s wonderful to recognise that.”
Dimple Gillausseyn, a foster carer and chair of Reading Carers’ Link, said: “It’s really wonderful to see the recognition.
“In the past, I don’t know how much they were really recognised, so to signify it physically and have a place for us is amazing.
“And it’s not just for the carers, it’s for foster children too– they can come and visit the patch and feel that it is theirs too.”
She also encouraged prospective carers to come and visit Reading Carers’ Link: “If you have any doubts, there are so many recruitment opportunities in all sorts of places.
“Even if you’re unsure, there’s always a carer at our stands who can give you the personal touch and help with any questions.”
She explained: “That’s how I started; I was unsure and already had a full-time job, but I went in and asked, and it was the best decision I ever made.
“I’ve been a foster carer for 12 years now, and I think I will carry for for as long as I can– I genuinely enjoy it, and from the bottom of my heart it gives me immense satisfaction.
“The young people become part of your life, so it can be hard to see them go, but to see them prosper afterwards is an amazing feeling.”
For more information about fostering or becoming a carer, visit: readingfostering.co.uk
Brighter Futures for Children also takes part in regular community engagement events, the next of which takes place at the Civic Offices on Bridge Street from 2pm-4pm on Tuesday, May 23.
There is also an online session between 6pm-7pm on Wednesday, May 24.
