A leading agency in the Northeast that provides all the training and support you need
Which is vital in your role as a foster carer
At Orchard Care Fostering in Durham, we are passionate about supporting foster carers in every way that we can to transform the lives of children for the better. We employ dedicated Support Workers, most with over 10 years service, to provide practical support to carers and young people across the Northeast. We offer robust financial support to all our carers and a bespoke package of training.
We are here to help you deepen your understanding of our foster children’s needs
and support you, so you can support them.
Children and young people who need foster care are some of the most vulnerable in our society, often they have been abused, often multiple times and then, as children often describe, they feel like parcels with little sense of belonging. There is a shocking lack of understanding about how logical and sensible the responses of children, to the harm they have received, actually are. What we work at here, at Orchard Care Fostering, is containment, processing and narrating as a path to healing. We provide thorough training for all types of fostering, to help you understand the needs of the children that may be placed in your care, and we remain consistent in our invaluable approach to ongoing training, support and therapeutic stance.
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With Orchard, both children and carers have access to experienced senior support staff; some children may access our children's club called "The Awesome Club", run by our experienced team.
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We hold monthly carer support groups at our offices. This gives carers an opportunity to share experiences, make friendships and find support. It also provides the opportunity to shape the organisation by talking together about our services. Importantly, children and foster carers have access to our 24/7 on-call service, which WILL provide a practical response where required.
Working on your story and the story of the child in your care
At Orchard Care Fostering, we employed the famous Life Story Work Practitioner, Rodger Walker, for over a decade to guide and coach us to undertake the gathering of our children's stories. Rodger’s expert practice lives on within our team! Every young person's "story" is explored by an experienced practitioner. Rodger Walker although now retired, remains the Champion of Life Story Work in our sector and remains connected to Orchard Care.
Stories are gathered for now or for the future, depending upon the young person's wishes and care planning processes. Young people often ask questions, and we like to be as equipped as we can be with the facts. Often young people are very confused about the sequence of events which led to them being where they are today. Supporting young people to understand can be very "healing". We support our carers just as we support our children in need of care and we offer practical help 365 days a year, so that you feel supported, encouraged and empowered to provide care that will really make a difference to a young person’s life.
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You can find out more about the training we offer, the support we provide and just how rewarding foster care can be, by getting in touch with our team in Durham now. We are a friendly, not-for-profit fostering agency, nominated as finalists at the Social Worker Awards in 2023. Established in 2005, we are dedicated to transforming lives for the better.
Psychotherapy, psychotherapeutic sessions and support
Often foster care can be highly complex, as well as deeply rewarding. At Orchard Care Fostering we provide a wide range of support to our carers that includes access to social workers, counsellors and therapists. We understand the importance of talking therapies and we are committed to offering mental health support, educational services, and more, to all the foster carers across the Northeast that work with us.
You can find out more about the training we offer, the support we provide and just how rewarding foster care can be, by getting in touch with our team in Durham now. We are a friendly, not-for-profit fostering agency, nominated as finalists at the Social Worker Awards in 2023. Established in 2005, we are dedicated to transforming lives for the better.
More about becoming a foster carer, allowances and eligibility
We support fostering in:
Durham, Darlington, Newcastle, Bishop Auckland, Gateshead, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool, Stockton-on-Tees, Sunderland, and across the Northeast.
Durham
Interested in learning more about the training you would receive when becoming a foster carer?
Contact Orchard Care Fostering now.
Like most people, you’ve probably got questions to ask before deciding whether fostering is right for you. We can help with all your queries and help you make the right decision for your circumstances. One of our team is available to talk to you over the phone to answer any of your fostering queries. All calls are strictly confidential, and we offer honest and practical advice.
0191 378 4444
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Our offices are open on weekdays only -
Mon to Thurs 8.30am-5pm,
Fri 8.30am-4.30pm
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Our phone line is available 24/7
You can also get in touch with us by emailing info@orchardcare.org.uk