AN AMAZING SALFORD FOSTER CARER RECEIVES A MUCH DESERVED MBE

A dedicated Salford foster carer has been appointed to an MBE in the Honours List for her outstanding work with children.

Angela Shiel and her husband Michael Shiel have been approved foster carers for Salford City Council for 21 years. During this time they have cared for 52 children and young people, adopted two children with additional needs and continue to foster three children.

Many of the children who have been placed with Angela and her husband have had significant additional or complex needs due to their previous experiences, needing a lot of extra care, attention and support.

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought to light how experienced and outstanding Angela and her husband are. They have helped the vulnerable children they care for understand the pandemic, supported them in maintaining birth family relationships, helped children with their wellbeing and to have fun.

During the pandemic, she continued to offer crucial support to foster carers who needed an independent and experienced carer to offer sound and sensible advice.

Angela said:

Quote

 

“When I found out I was going to receive an MBE, initially although I felt really honoured, I also felt a little embarrassed as I feel lots of carers deserve it. I really appreciate being nominated as it’s not an easy process and it is heart-warming to know they feel I deserve this. I have always wanted to foster, it’s just something I always knew I wanted to do and wanted to do it for my local authority of Salford.

“The most important thing to me are the outcomes for children and young people; supporting them through difficult times, helping them move on, always belonging, being  available and someone they can trust.”

 

Councillor Teresa Pepper, Executive Lead for Education and Learning with Salford City Council said:

Quote

 

“Congratulations to Angela! We’re delighted she has been recognised for her amazing work as a foster carer. What sets Angela apart is her dedication not only to vulnerable and disadvantaged children and young people, but her commitment to improving the fostering service and supporting her fellow foster carers. She has worked tirelessly not only to ensure that she has the right skills, but other professionals do too.

“She has a great history of providing excellent starts to children who have then been placed for adoption, supporting their plans for moving back to parents or moving on to family members. She is well respected for her reliability, her knowledge, skills, and compassion, but above all her flexibility and ability to problem solve.”

 

The Covid 19 pandemic brought Angela skills to the forefront, supporting the children in her care in the most fun way she could to help them enjoy their stay at home, as well as helping to understand and make sense of the world. From the start of the restrictions from Covid 19, they had two children in foster care placement plus their own children.

Angela planned every day at home, using games and fun activities to ensure the children enjoyed their time as well as supporting their learning and development. They had open discussions about what the pandemic meant to them and why they needed to remain indoors. She used her skills and understanding to ensure they understood why keeping in touch with their own families had to be different for a while. She made sure their emotional wellbeing was being supported as well as the social needs.

She has supported her peers and other carers, acting as role model for the service, speaking in public forums about her role. Her knowledge is taken from years of experience as well as training. Professionals in Salford children’s services have praised Angela for embracing and working positively with a young person’s birth mother in the best interest of the young person.

In her role as a member of the local Foster Carer Association, she can be on call 24 hours a day, answering queries which includes general guidance, representation for carers and requests for direct support.