Council staff to get paid leave to foster

Brighton and Hove Council has announced paid leave for all council
employees who are foster carers to enable them to support their
foster children.

Council employees will be allowed three days to attend initial
assessment sessions and five days a year for training and meetings
in connection with the child’s placement to encourage more working
people to become foster carers.

“We are really pleased about this incentive,” said Karen Devine,
the council’s manager for fostering and adoption. “It will
potentially increase the number of working people able to manage
fostering and help them to balance work and fostering
responsibilities.”

Pat Hawker, chair of the children, families and schools committee,
said: “As the largest employer in the city, we have a
responsibility to encourage fostering and there is a wealth of
experience to be tapped from our own employees.”