Let's Talk About Fostering

What is faith-based fostering in the UK? In this episode of Let’s Talk About Fostering, host Faye speaks to Ruth about her fostering journey, faith, and supporting children in care. Ruth shares how she became a foster carer through her church, how faith shapes her approach, and what children in care really need to feel safe, supported and loved.

Why is matching so important in fostering? In this episode of Let’s Talk About Fostering, Nikita from ACS shares why finding the right foster family for a child or young person matters so much. Drawing on both her professional role as a referrals officer and her own lived experience of growing up in care, Nikita explains how foster care matching works, why stability matters, and why faith, culture...

What happens at a fostering panel and how do you become an approved foster carer? In this episode of the Let's Talk About Fostering podcast, we speak to Jan Widowen, who is retiring after 20 years as a fostering panel administrator at Fostering People. Jan shares insights into how the fostering panel works, what applicants can expect, and why the assessment process is so important when approvi...

What does it really mean to be a man in fostering? In this episode of Let’s Talk About Fostering, host Faye chats to foster dad Phil, who fosters with his wife Leanne and their three daughters for Clifford House. Phil opens up about challenging gender stereotypes, being a hands-on dad, why vulnerability matters, and the huge impact a positive male role model can have on children in care – especial...

Faye and FCA foster parent Claudia break down different types of fostering – from long-term and “staying put” to parent and child and siblings – and how to find the right fit for your family. There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to fostering. In this episode of Let’s Talk About Fostering from the Polaris Community, host Faye sits down with foster parent Claudia from Foster Care Associates (F...

In this episode of Let’s Talk About Fostering, Faye chats to married couple Andy and Mike, who foster with therapeutic fostering agency ISP in the Midlands. They share their journey from first conversations about starting a family to becoming full-time foster parents to two amazing 13-year-olds. In this episode, we cover: - Why Andy and Mike chose fostering to grow their family - What children in...

In this episode, we explore how foster parents strengthen communities, support children, and work closely with local services to create lasting change. We sit down with Theresa, a foster parent from Fosterplus in Gloucestershire and Jim, who is responsible for a number of our individual fostering agencies here at Polaris. We will explore how foster parents help shape stronger, safer, and more supp...

Thinking about becoming a foster parent but not sure where to start? In this episode of Let’s Talk About Fostering, host Faye chats with Alison, a single foster parent with Foster Care Associates, about what it’s really like at the very beginning of your fostering journey. Alison has been fostering teenagers since 2017. She talks honestly about leaving her job after 32 years, going through the ass...

Welcome to the very first episode of Let’s Talk About Fostering — the podcast from the Polaris Community, hosted by Faye. In this episode, Faye is joined by Polaris CEO Jo August, who has 35+ years’ experience working across children’s services — and who also grew up in a fostering household. Jo shares her journey into social care, explains what Polaris does across fostering, residential care, sch...