Fostering is perhaps the oldest and most widely understood model of care. However, for Kibble and its 160-year history in being a specialist provider for at-risk children and young people, the addition of Intensive Fostering Services is relatively new, beginning in 2004.
About Our Fostering Services
Established in 2004, our Intensive Fostering Services (IFS) were set up to provide foster placements for children and young people aged five and above. We support children and young people with complex needs, often expressed through challenging behaviours.
For the past 16 years IFS has continued to grow and we now have 18 team members supporting young people and foster carers.
Full Co-operation Across Kibble
By being an integral part of Kibble, IFS can offer young people direct access to our other services if needed. This fully integrated way of working helps build positive futures for young people with complex social, emotional and educational needs.
The IFS team works closely with all services at Kibble meaning young people who are in foster care, as well as foster carers, have the same opportunities and support networks as those in a residential care setting.
Exciting Developments for Our Fostering Services
The year 2021 will see significant progress as we look to expand our offering to other parts of central Scotland. Our new offices in Paisley and Hamilton will allow us to deliver our specialist model of foster care in an increased number of locations, helping even more young people.
A Day in The Life of a Foster Family Placement Supervisor
Nicole Potter, Foster Family Placement Supervisor, described some of the responsibilities the small, friendly team have:
Every day is completely different – whether it is supporting a foster carer or going out on an activity with a young person. We want to give young people the love and care that prepares them for the next stage of their care journey and to be there to support the foster carers should they require it.
Nicole continues: “Many of our staff members start their day by visiting the office to collect whatever they need to provide outreach support to their young people. The support offered to young people is provided within their homes, schools, and communities.
At the end of the day staff will return to the office to provide an overview and complete various tasks to ensure their work is being effectively recorded, allowing for reflection”.
Discover photos from fun days out at the beach, fundraising for a good cause with the Kiltwalk and a summer evening BBQ.
The Path to Success
The success of IFS and Kibble relies on our dedicated staff and exceptional carers. Kibble invests heavily in providing staff and carers with training opportunities and fully encourages innovation within its practice. The further development of IFS will be full of challenges, but will have the objective of helping Kibble achieve their longstanding mission of helping as many young people as possible get a chance at life.
#KibbleInspires
Throughout our 160-year history, Kibble has put the needs of young people first by providing integrated and innovative services. Our dedicated staff, whatever role they have within the Kibble family, are essential to making this happen. We are all frontline workers, determined every day to improve the lives of young people.
The #KibbleInspires series looks at some of the services that make up the Kibble family and highlights the roles that they play in ensuring that we can provide the best care and education for young people across Scotland.