Children who arrive in the UK without their parents or carers usually go into the care of their nearest public authority and will often live with approved foster carers when there is no suitable family member or guardian to care for them.

These children are not being removed from their homes by local authorities; they are leaving their home country desperately seeking shelter and protection from war, oppression or civil unrest

Fostering unaccompanied asylum seeking children is a specialist area of fostering, that can can be incredibly rewarding in it's own unique way.

Here are just some of the reasons why our carers love it;

“We’ve learnt about new cultures and customs. We’ve loved discovering the differences in dress, traditions and customs; it’s been fascinating to learn about life in another country”

"We witness the most amazing progress, as the young people relax and begin to feel safe. They are likely to be tired, frightened and mentally and physically exhausted when they arrive. Initially they might be very introverted as they come to terms with the trauma of their experiences and grief, but over time, in a nurturing environment, we see these children begin to heal the scars of their past and look to the future"

“We’ve enjoyed helping our foster children learn English. We’ve invented games and activities and fun ways to communicate which has involved the whole family, allowing us to converse even when we don’t share the same language”

“We feel proud that we’ve facilitated the growth and integration of a child into not only a new country, but also into new customs which are most likely incredibly different from what they have been used to. Given the language issues, we become the child’s advocate and voice”

"We help our young people with their asylum application which can be daunting and difficult. It’s rewarding to support them during a time of instability and we do all we can to ensure we are available for appointments and to explain the letters and communication"

"We are teaching our own children the importance of tolerance, understanding and kindness as well as having an open mind. They realise just how lucky they are to live in a safe and stable country and to have a loving family around them"

“We’ve learnt about different religions, traditions and celebrations. It’s been informative and insightful to learn about different beliefs from around the world"

“Meal times are exciting and varied as we share our favourite foods and learn about foods and recipes from other countries. We’ve tasted the most amazing dishes and had so much fun”

If you are interested in becoming a foster carer for unaccompanied asylum seeking children, or would like more information on the training and support we provide, please call 01273 294555 or enquire now

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If you think you have what it takes to foster Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children and young people, you can find out more about the role by joining one of our virtual information sessions. Please email fosteringrecruitment@brighton-hove.gov.uk for details of the next session

Find out more about fostering by downloading our information booklet

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