The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: mowhaugh on August 29, 2013, 08:17:53 pm
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Didn't want to hijack the other thread, but I am very interested in the idea of Care Farming. I have been doing a lot of research into us becoming Foster Carers once our boys are both at school (that's 4 years away as under the Scottish system angus won't start until he is 5 and a half), and are very keen on this idea, but wondered if the nature of farming might make things tricky - I know one of my friends who is a foster carer is not allowed to allow her foster children to help her with some of the things her own children used to. So Care Farming could be a possible alternative.
We have already done something a wee bit similar in that we had a young lady who was living with her aunt, who is a friend of mine, after leaving home at 13, being in lots of trouble etc. etc. come to us every Saturday and Sunday, and more often in the holidays, to help out. It was very challenging at times, but she is now 20, is a completely fantastic person who our children adore, and is here for a visit with us just now before going on her first posting to Germany with the British Army. We also had another lad come to us for work experience who had had issues at school and was struggling to find a placement, he was amazing, loved it, applied for agricultural college, and is about to come back to us on a day a week placement.
So, we do have a teeny tiny taste of what it might all be about, but I would love to find out more. Any information would be fab! And I hope your interview went well, Colliewobbles.
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Where about in Scotland are you?
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I am in the Scottish Borders, near Kelso.
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Thanks for your wishes on the interview - to be honest we don't feel particularly positive about the interview tonight. A board of 6 councillors, all very old and male and not a smile or acknowledgement to us from any of them in 40 minutes. We have no idea how our presentation was received - you just couldn't read it. ???
Anyway - with regards to Care Farming, obviously you have seen the link I mentioned before. The care farm near us which is where I have spent a couple of days has a website here www.clinkcarefarm.org.uk (http://www.clinkcarefarm.org.uk)/. The farmer is Dutch and brought the idea over from Holland where there is an extensive number of Care Farms. It doesn't have to be a county farm to do care farming.
Another one near us has set up a Care Farm on 8 acres of land on the edge of her village - website here: www.bramblescarefarm.co.uk (http://www.bramblescarefarm.co.uk)/ There is also another in Norfolk centred around equine care - the woman had a horse rescue on the farm which she was finding impossible to run financially. Care Farming pays for the care and rehabilitation of the rescued horses - website here www.willowtreefarming.co.uk/ (http://www.willowtreefarming.co.uk/)
Hope this helps.
Donna
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I am in Arbroath, I work with various children with various problems, and when they are here with me, they are generally fab, so i know what you've experienced with your 2 young people. The local authority have recently asked me to compile a risk assessment , got some great ideas from folks on here, so bare that in mind.
Wish you luck if you decide to go down this route, it's hard work, but rewarding to know you can make a difference to a young persons life.
My advice on fostering would be to ensure your children are always older that children you foster. If either you or your partner are smokers, try to stop as some authorities don't allow under 5 with smokers.
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Thank you for all the advice. We aren't smokers, so that's not an issue, although I am sure there are many hurdles we haven't even thought of. I have found the website of a Care Farm that is just over an hour away from me I think,
http://www.westerdeans.org/ (http://www.westerdeans.org/)
so will make contact with them and see if it might be possible to visit, and maybe in the winter when my husband is less busy, volunteer.