Awards honour carers of looked after children

The outstanding contributions of host families who care for young people in Stockton-on-Tees were recognised at an awards ceremony held by Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council on Wednesday, 29 January.

The Foster Carer and Supported Lodgings Awards shine a light on the achievements, resilience and outstanding care of people who look after children and young people across the Borough. 

Councillor Lisa Evans, who is the Council's Cabinet Member for Children and Young People and presented the Young Person's Choice Award, said: "It's an honour to celebrate our incredible foster carers and host families with these awards. We are lucky to have so many amazing people in our Borough who go above and beyond to support young people in their care and make a positive difference to their lives. Congratulations to all the winners and nominees."

The awards, which took place at Wynyard Hall, celebrated care givers in the following categories:

 Long Service and Special Milestone awards

 Special Milestone awards were handed to carers who have reached their milestone one, five, 10, and 15 years of service, while the Long Service awards celebrated those from 20 years upwards.

Supported Lodgings Host of the Year Award - Lindsay Taylor 

Lindsay is a phenomenal host who supports young people in her care to thrive, offering a loving family home where they learn practical skills such as cooking, DIY, budgeting and cleaning skills.

This support, along with the emotional warmth and security she provides, has made a huge difference to the two young people currently in her care. Lindsey takes the time to get to know every young person she looks after and welcomes them into her wider family, treating them like they are her own.

Lindsay said: "I was absolutely delighted to win - it's lovely to be recognised. I've been a supported lodgings host for about 14 years and I do it because it's so rewarding seeing young people in your care succeed and do well as they enter adulthood. Often the support we give is about building someone's confidence and helping with the little things. If you're thinking about becoming a host, please do look into it and ask questions. You get a lot of support from the Council so you're never alone."

Supported Lodgings Special Recognition Award - Angela Cadwallader

A former foster carer, Angela became a supported lodgings host last year and has taken to the role like second nature. She now supports a young person who is thriving in her care and the two have formed a real bond, sharing similar interests including music and the arts. Her caring nature and belief in him have helped to build his confidence in working towards independence, including obtaining his driving license.

Angela said: "I was shocked to win! It meant an awful lot to me. I was a foster carer for ten years then I had two empty bedrooms at home and I thought, 'there's someone out there who'd love that room,' so I applied to be a Supported Lodgings host. The young person in my care is a wonderful match and we're making small steps to help him live independently. His tutors say they have seen a real difference in him. I would urge people to think about being a supported lodgings host because you can make it work around your lifestyle, and the satisfaction you get from helping someone to succeed is amazing."

Young Person's Choice Award and 20-year Milestone Award - Wendy Fowler 

With nominations submitted by children in her care, Wendy Fowler was awarded the Young Person's Choice Award for the excellent support she gives.

This category recognises the work foster carers do to support the borough's looked after children, with each nomination submitted by a child in their care.

Awards were also handed out in the following categories:

• Foster Carer of the Year 
• Foster Carers' Special Recognition Award
• Connected Carer of the Year 
• Supported Lodgings Host of the Year 
• Peer-to-Peer Award 

If you would like to find out more about becoming a Supported Lodgings Host, an online information session is being held on Wednesday, 19 February at 7pm. To register and find out more, please visit the Support Lodgings webpage.

To find out more about becoming a foster carer, visit the Foster with North East website.