About
fostering in Parallel Parents
Parallel Parents was set up in 1994 as a response to requests for foster placements
for young people for whom local authorities did not have suitable facilities.
Our parent organisation, Care Today Childrens Services, provides residential
care in houses varying from one to six beds. However, there are some young
people who cannot adjust to residential care, who perhaps need family placements
or sometimes an exclusive family-based relationship. In order to meet the needs of these young people and
also provide ongoing care for those ready to move on from residential care,
Parallel Parents Family Finding was established.
Parallel Parents is a Company Limited by Guarantee i.e. a non profit making
voluntary organisation. Our fees enable us to pay our foster carers realistic
allowances for their valuable work, provide high quality training, supervision and
support. It also ensures that there is acceptable respite to enable foster
carers to take regular breaks to relieve pressure.
Philosophy
“One of the key principles of the Children Act is that of working in
partnership with parents of ‘looked after' children and also with the child
himself, if he has sufficient understanding, providing this approach will not
jeopardise his welfare. A second, closely related principle is that parents and
children should participate actively in the decision-making process....” Vol.
3, Family Placements, 2.10.
We, at Parallel Parents, endorse these principles, believing that our foster
carers must respect the wishes and needs of the child whilst communicating
closely, where appropriate, with parents. We strive to ensure that young people
are placed as near to their family and community as possible. However, at times,
distance may sometimes be a necessity to meet the particular needs of a young
person. This may be when distance from family is necessary to maintain personal safety or when the particular skills of foster parents are the highest
consideration for that young person.
Children being looked after have a right to be seen as children first and have
access to the same support systems as other children in the community. The
emphasis must be on family where possible or an appropriate substitute family.
We must recognise the impact of structures on the lives of children in the care
system. We should not scapegoat the child for a negative reaction to often
inappropriate placements dictated not by their needs but by other priorities
such as resources.
Our aims and objectives
