Kids left home for university leaving an empty nest?
If you find yourself in an ‘empty nest’ after your children have grown up and left home why not use those valuable parenting skills you have gained over the years to help give another child a brighter future?
Consider fostering
Midlothian Council is inviting parents whose children may have just left home to go off to university to think about fostering.
Empty nest
For some parents, an empty nest may be a welcome relief from looking after teenagers but for others it can bring on feelings of loneliness and a lack of purpose. This stage in a parent’s life could be an ideal opportunity to consider sharing your home with a child or young person in need of a safe and stable home.
Change you life, change theirs
Whilst you think about the qualities you can bring to fostering, think also about what fostering might bring to your life at this moment of change.
An opportunity
Children Services Manager Rachel Mitchell said:
“Often foster carers tell us that the goal of one day becoming a foster carer can take many years to shape and form. Family commitments and life circumstances get in the way and one of the biggest challenges can be balancing the needs of your family and children with the changes fostering will bring. When your children naturally move on, this can open up the time and space for you to naturally fulfil your ambition.”
Allowance
Approved foster carers are supported by a dedicated team of social workers and receive a generous fee and allowance to cover costs.
Drop in sessions
Informal drop-in sessions are being held to help people find out more about fostering with Midlothian Council. These sessions offer an opportunity to meet a member of the fostering team and also to chat to a foster carer to hear about their experiences of fostering. Our next sessions are as follows:
- Wednesday 28 September – Bonnyrigg Mosque, drop in anytime between 10.30am - 12 noon
- Wednesday 26 October – Rosslyn Bowling Club, drop in anytime between 10.30am - 12 noon or 6.30pm - 8.30pm.
- Wednesday 30 November – Danderhall Community Hub, drop in anytime between 10.30am - 12 noon
A new lease of life
Councillor Ellen Scott, Cabinet member with responsibility for education, children and young people said:
“We need more people to take on the role of foster carer and provide a safe and secure family environment at a crucial point in a child’s life. Fostering could provide a new lease of life for those with an empty nest. It is an amazing contribution to society and could enable you to support and create opportunities for children to achieve and succeed in ways that may not have been possible. I would encourage parents in this situation to find out more about fostering. Come along to one of our fostering information events or contact our Family Centred Care team.”
Find out more
- Fostering information
- Contact our fostering team on 0131 271 3615 or email FamilyCentredCareDuty@midlothian.gov.uk.