Inside Salisbury: Foster carers needed for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children

Spencer Mulholland: "You really could make a huge difference to someone’s life and change their life forever."

By Annette J Beveridge

AN APPEAL to find a growing number of foster carers across the county has been set up to help children who are escaping danger in their home countries.

Spencer and Lisa Mulholland have fostered with Wiltshire Council for four years and are currently helping Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) as carers.

Spencer explained: “At the moment we are a foster carer to a young person who is an unaccompanied asylum seeker and it’s very much like being a foster carer for any other young person but they’re from another land and they’ve got different cultures. You really just have to adapt a little to make them feel as welcome and secure as possible.

“The young person we are fostering, we know it has made a massive impact on their life, just from what I can see and what he’s told us. It’s basically put his life back on a different course. When Lisa and I started off on this journey we really wanted to make a difference to a young person’s life and I believe by doing this, we really have.”

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Foster carers need to be aged 21 and over and have a spare room. You need time to care for a child and a willingness to understand young people who have experienced trauma and loss.

Spencer added: “It’s made a massive impact on our family, we’ve welcomed this young person into our family and he’s enriched our family completely. We’ve learned loads of new things from him and he’s basically become part of our family. If you’re considering fostering I would really recommend being a foster carer. You really could make a huge difference to someone’s life and change their life forever.”

Fostering payments are from £400 to £740 a week per child depending on skills and experience.

Cabinet Member for Children’s Services Councillor Laura Mayes, said: “We are so fortunate that we have foster carers like Spencer who can help make an amazing difference and help these young people realise there is a safer, happier alternative.

“The story of how the young person he cares for has made a new life for himself is a real inspiration. If people want to find out more, I’d ask them to get in touch and we can talk to you without any obligation.”

For more information on fostering visit https://fostering.wiltshire.gov.uk/

Email fostering@wiltshire.gov.uk, call 0800 169 6321 or text the word Foster to 60002.