There are no magic wands at Bradford Council’s fostering service. Its latest Ofsted inspection ranks every aspect of its work as good, but the reality is that this thumbs-up is the fruit of years of hard work and service refinement.
Take its approach to foster carer recruitment as an example. Years ago, the council advertised heavily to attract carers. Today, says service manager Sarah Patrick, it does "very little advertising". "We’re very fortunate as people in Bradford do come forward to foster and that includes a large number from the Asian population," she says.
But this success isn’t just about the mindset of Bradford’s residents – it is also a reflection of how the service treats people once they become foster carers. "It’s not just about initial recruitment – it’s about retaining them and treating people well once they are in the system so that they feel comfortable and confident and then spread the word to other people," Patrick explains. "It’s word of mouth after that. We’ve had a lot of carers who have been with us a long time now who have spread the word."
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