In 2017, an outstanding young woman won national fostering award. Here we reflect on the wonderful occasion with an article published at the time: 

An inspirational young woman from Gateshead who has volunteered hundreds of hours for St John Ambulance has been awarded a prestigious national award for young people who have experience of living in foster care.

Skye Marshall won the Outstanding Achievement Award at The Fostering Network’s Fostering Excellence Awards, an award that is presented to those who have succeeded through foster care against the odds.

Skye came into care years ago, significantly lacking confidence and with some anxieties. With hard work and focus she has become an overachiever and an excellent role model to other young people in care. During her time with her Team Fostering carer she has achieved a multitude of accolades. As well as extensive volunteering for St John Ambulance, who she has actually represented at Buckingham Palace, Skye has never taken a day off school, achieved excellent GCSE results, completed her Duke of Edinburgh bronze award, raised money for numerous charities and even found time to learn sign language and the violin.

Skye’s foster carer, Patsy, has worked for Team Fostering for many years, and it was her who submitted a nomination for Skye. ‘When Skye first moved in with us eight years ago she lacked confidence and was constantly worried,’ Patsy shared, ‘Since then she has worked hard, focused on her chosen path and reaped the rewards for all her effort.’

Skye collected the award at The Fostering Excellence Awards 2017 ceremony in London. The awards, now in their fourth year, recognise people who make exceptional contributions to foster care, whether they are social workers, foster carers, care experienced young people or the children of fostering families.

Kevin Williams, Chief Executive of The Fostering Network, the UK’s leading fostering charity, said: ‘It’s incredible how much Skye has managed to pack in over the last eight years that she has lived with her foster carer. On top of this Skye is a fantastic role model to the other young people living with her foster carer and a passionate advocate for fostering. She is an embodiment of The Fostering Network’s conviction that, with the right support, especially from their foster carer, young people in foster care can flourish.’

Rachael Johnson, Assistant Director at Team Fostering said: ‘We are so delighted to hear of Skye’s success in The Fostering Excellence Awards; her achievements are truly remarkable. We’d also like to pay very special thanks to Patsy Marshall, Skye’s Foster Carer, who should take this achievement as recognition of the care, encouragement and support she has afforded to children and young people during her career as a foster carer.

 

Want to learn more about how to become a foster carer? Contact us to learn about the support, training, foster carer pay and allowances that you would receive at Team Fostering, your local, private fostering agency. We are a not-for-profit organisation that allows us to invest substantially in our foster carers, children and young people.

Contact us in one of the following ways:

  • by calling us on 0800 292 2003
  • by emailing info@teamfostering.co.uk
  • by submitting an online enquiry form (click here to do this)