Could you give a safe, caring home to a teenager?

No Wrong Door is an alternative to traditional fostering; young people are looked after in a family setting linked to residential hubs in Harrogate and Scarborough.

Each hub has community foster families for young people aged 13-plus, and community supported lodging hosts for young people aged 16 and 17 who are in care, who have often had a number of foster placements but have not managed to find the right family – yet. The families and hosts have support from a team of specialists which includes a designated key worker, a clinical psychologist and a speech and language therapist.

The hubs are designed to replace the traditional children’s homes in North Yorkshire. Each young person in this nationally-acclaimed programme is given a tailor-made plan of support, with high aspirations to encourage them to achieve their full potential. This team of trusted and skilled workers stick with the young person through thick and thin to make sure they can access the right services at the right time and in the best place to meet their need.

“No Wrong Door offers a home-based approach to care for young people who have had a lifetime of experiencing rejection and failure,” said County Councillor Janet Sanderson, North Yorkshire’s Executive Member for Children’s Services. “We need supported lodging hosts and foster carers to provide homes for adolescents who have had a challenging and troubled background. This is a role that is ideal for people who have the experience of caring or working with adolescents and want to make a real difference to their lives. Supported lodging hosts can have full or part-time jobs and still provide the level of care and support we are looking for.”

North Yorkshire County Council pays No Wrong Door supported lodging hosts an allowance of £260 a week. Anyone interested in becoming a supported lodgings host can ring 01609 535695 and ask for Janice Nicholson, Service Manager.

“We would also like to hear from people who are interested in supporting local young people with less complex needs by providing traditional foster care,” added Cllr Sanderson. “Fostering gives a real opportunity to make a difference and improve a child’s life.”