Advice

Christina and Suzy have been foster parents with Orchard Fostering for six years. To celebrate Pride Month (June 1st- 30th), they share the rewarding story of their fostering journey along with some words of encouragement for any potential foster parents. If you’re interested in fostering, please reach out to Orchard Fostering today. We’re available on the phone or via email – you can also fill out a form directly on our contact page. "It all started for us back in April 2017, we were together

Despite the fact there’s more and more visibility for the LGBTQ+ community today, coming out and expressing one’s gender and sexual identity can still be a challenging and emotional process. While in past generations, people tended to come out in teenage and their adult years, today, because of increased visibility, children and teenagers are coming out earlier and feel more comfortable interrogating and expressing their gender identity sooner. However, the LGBTQ+ community still faces discrimination, bias and stigmatization. This can come from social groups, the

Online gaming is an increasingly popular pastime. You’ve probably heard of the most popular titles and maybe even played them yourself! There are many benefits of gaming for young people and adults alike. It’s a way to relax and unwind. It’s a common way for children and young people to connect with their friends and make new ones – which may be particularly relevant for foster children who have moved home and still have friends in different towns and counties around the country. Studies have

Whether you’re well versed in social media or new to the game, there’s no denying Tiktok is phenomenally popular with children of all ages. The video-sharing social media platform specializes in short-form clips and to date the app has over 2 billion downloads. TikTok, among other social media apps, have transformed the nature of ‘celebrity’ as we know it. In theory, someone can easily earn star status from their bedroom so it’s no surprise the platform has struck a chord with a younger generation. From

To celebrate foster care diversity, the Young Person’s Ambassador Board have launched an exciting new booklet to coincide with Cultural Diversity Month. Over the past year, the young people who are part of Orchard Fostering’s Young Person’s Ambassador Board “A Young Orchard’s Voice“ have been hard at work creating material and bringing together their ideas to enhance our services and supports for all young people within Orchard Fostering. You may have already seen their “Little Book of Big Words” which they created and launched two years ago.  Now,

The relationship a child forms with their primary caregiver influences how a child relates to, feels about, and perceives the world around them and the relationships they will form later in life. The importance of these early attachments in childhood development is something that shouldn’t be underestimated. If a child is given an appropriate level of love, support and attention, they generally feel safer, more confident and secure to explore the world on their own. However, children who don’t receive adequate love, support and attention