Wendy Clarke is foster carer to her three grandsons aged eight, six and five. The boys have lived happily with their grandmother for the last five years, but family life hasn't been without its ups and downs.
"The eldest has had problems at school because he suffers from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder," she says. "Because he played the clown in class, people expected him to be troublesome."
Dealing with the behavioural problems of looked-after children can pose a major challenge to foster carers. The ability to overcome such issues can mean the difference between a stable placement or complete breakdown.
How Self works
Wendy has maintained stability with extra support from her local authority, Thurrock Council, which last April introduced a project called Supporting and Enhancing Local Foster Care (Self). Staffed by two senior social workers, a part-time primary mental health worker and a part-time child psychotherapist, Self is a service that supports children, foster carers and birth families.
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