Southern Counties will be holding their next Skills to Foster Course from 16th to 18th February 2012. A number of new applicants have been invited to undertake this vital training to become new foster carers.
If you are interested in becoming a foster carer for Orange Grove we have a few spaces available and would welcome your call!
Please contact us at the office on 01293 542286 or by email to southerncounties@theorangegrove.co.uk
On Friday 16 December, Orange Grove Southern Counties held their children’s Christmas Party at Broadfield Youth and Community Centre.
The party was well attended and provided an evening of fun and entertainment.
The evening began with games organised by entertainers with children being invited to join in. Some of the games were very energetic! There was then an interval when everyone enjoyed the lovely buffet provided by Carers and took time to socialise. After eating, the children were invited to join in more games. Santa then visited the party and spent time chatting to the children and handing out gifts.
Thank you to all who helped to organise this event which all agreed was a success.
Welcome to North London & Essex Region
Our area covers the large county of Essex and a number of boroughs in North London, and we continue to expand across this area through 2012. We have carers as far afield as Clacton and Southend, Romford and Canning Town. We ensure that our foster carers have all the support they need, and the children have the best opportunities to grow and develop in a safe family environment.
We have families who have joined us over the last year, including Liz and Rob, who are currently caring for a young baby, and Karen and Jed, who currently care for a 14 year old boy who is settling down well at school and enjoys being a part of a new family.
We also have ‘seasoned’ carers, who have been with us many years, including Savita and Amrit, who have been caring for a brother and sister for over six years, and Hilda and Alan, who currently care for two boys of 17 and 5 years.
Our training sessions over the coming year include the Skills to Foster Course for new applicants, which will run several times through the year. We also have courses for approved carers, including Safer Caring, Attachment and Therapeutic Crisis Intervention. Approved Carers also attend monthly carer forums to enable them to meet for mutual support and training and development sessions.
Crate Stacking at the Activity Centre
Orange Grove staff, carers and children meet throughout the year to have fun with different activities. In the past we have been to activity centres, parks and gardens, and we always get together for a Christmas lunch.
The Enchanted Forest, Kent
Christmas Lunch with the Carers
We will be approving new Foster Carers over the coming months, and if you too are interested in becoming a Foster Carer, please contact us and we will be happy to answer your questions about fostering. We look forward to hearing from you!
Tel: 0208 297 2362 and you will be able to speak to a worker in the local area.
Our North West carers recently took part in a three day Paediatric First Aid Course delivered by Trevor from abc North West Ltd. Feedback from the group included:
“Very good and rewarding” – Pat,
“I feel confident to be able to cope in a life or death situation” – Jackie,
“Very interesting, good to recap skills” – Jo
The North West team are currently in the process of organising the next Paediatric Course for carers to take place in 2012 … please watch this space!
The children and Helen & Laura (FSW’s) got into the christmas spirit by making christmas cards at our november creche! The children had lots of fun using different coloured paints and glitter to decorate their cards and an enjoyable morning was had by all!
The Southern region enjoyed a wonderful overnight trip to Kingswood Activity centre with the Son’s and Daughter’s of our Foster Carers.
The 2 days were filled with adrenaline and excitement. Children and staff enjoyed a number of activates. Basketball, Crate stacking, Quad Biking, 3G Swing and Outdoor Lazer. There was never a quiet moment. In the evening we shared songs at the campfire party.
The children received a goodie bag with a note book to write down any idea that they had for future events that they would like to have with the Orange Grove and their own camera’s to capture all the fun.
Thank you for your attendance and see you soon!
Kelvena Jones, (Family Support Worker)
Please send in any suggestion that you have regarding a name for the Son’s and Daughter Group to your Local Offices.
South London and Kent Team enjoyed a fantastic world culture day to celebrate Black History month. The day was filled information sharing, quizzes and food from several different nations. Some of our Carer’s and staff dressed in their tradition dress.
Carer’s and staff contributed to the event, with either bringing food, a significant object from their childhood, or an object with a cultural or historical significance. The food was varied and delicious. There were loads of objects and flags on display.
Eoin treated carer’s to their own personal Ogham Scripts used primarily to write the Old Irish language.
Prizes were given to carers who gained the most points in the quiz.
Congratulations to -
Clive Ardley for winning the British Citizenship Test (the only person who passed).
Margaret Nimoh for naming the most ‘Ancient 7 wonders’ of the world and picture guessing game ‘who and I’?
Judith Slater for guessing the most ‘UK Landmarks’
Rosie Fooks for naming the ‘New 7 Wonders of the world’
A big thank you to Kelvena (FSW) who planned and organised the event.
Janet Daby, Team Manager
CAN YOU GUESS WHO THESE FAMOUS CHILDREN ARE?
Over the summer holidays the South London and Kent Team had a lovely hot day with their carer’s and children at Hever Castle.
On the day we had the opportunity to visit the award winning gardens and worked our way around the mazes. We had a lovely lunch together on the green in front of the castle.
The Knights of Royal England entertain us with their spectacular jousts. The Blue Order battled with their arch rivals, the Red Banner, the day was filled with laughter and excitement.
We had a brilliant turnout for September’s ‘Get-2-Gether’ in Shropshire and everyone seemed to enjoy the creepy crawlies the Animal Man brought along with him. Some of us were slightly more wary than others (including Rosie who managed to drop a cockroach on the floor!!) but most got really into the spirit of the afternoon and ended up with frogs crawling over their face, lizards attached to their t-shirts and one young person had at least 4 snakes wrapped round him at one point!!!
Lets hope our Christmas ‘Get-2-Gether’ is as well attended.
Shropshire carers are incredibly clever carers! A whopping 17 carers have completed their NVQ 3 in Child Care, a further 4 carers are near completion, 5 are working their way through their diploma and are more that ½ way through it and 3 have recently started. We just want to pass on our congratulations to those who are qualified, and our encouragement to those who are working through it. We are immensely proud of all your hard work and achievements. Well done!
