Changing Futures North East supports foster families across Teesside and County Durham.
Now the Hartlepool-based charity has seen a spike in interest since mid-September, driven almost exclusively by the parents of teenagers who’ve left home for university.
Dubbed “Empty Nest Syndrome”, Changing Futures’ founder Graham Alton said it presented a natural opportunity for parents to consider fostering.
“Empty nest syndrome is the sense of loss some parents feel when their children leave home, and that creates a massive hole in their lives,” said Graham. “It is an annual phenomenon that in the wake of Freshers Week, we notice a significant upsurge in enquires – almost always from middle-aged parents who, in some ways, are mourning the loss of the family dynamic they’d been used to for almost 20 years.”
A previous report by The Fostering Network found that – in Wales – 18 per cent of families claimed ‘Empty Nest Syndrome’ was a motivation to foster.
And in the North East, that need has never been greater.
Currently, one in 88 children in the region are in care – the highest rate in England.
As such, Graham said there was an “unprecedented and urgent” need for more families to foster in the North East.
“There are nowhere near enough foster families for the sheer volume of looked after children, and if a family can’t be found, that can be devastating for a young person,” he added. “Some may be moved hundreds of miles from home, ripping away their support network. It is not the start in life they need or deserve. That’s why we need more families, and in reality, ‘empty nesters’ can make for the ideal foster family. They have the energy, the time and – suddenly – the extra space both in their homes and hearts to help change a young life.”
Anyone wanting more information, should please visit https://www.changingfuturesne.co.uk/
